Skyfall
by BlueEyedWolf33
Summary: Straightening up, she placed the fire wood back down on the ground, her head tilted in the direction of the curse words. She slowly reached to her belt, drawing her sword out. When she stepped into the clearing through the trees, the Tribute about fell over from surprise and she had to keep a bark of laughter from escaping her throat. Of course it would be him. Cato/OC
1. Chapter 1

**"And so it was decreed that each year, the various Districts of Panem would offer up in tribute, one young man and woman to fight to the death in a pageant of honor, courage, and sacrifice. "**

**Third Person's POV**

A cool breeze suddenly passed through the quiet district. This was an oddity to the miners' home. Usually, the air was stale with not a whisper of wind about it.

On a normal day, if you listened closely, you could hear the animals moving about the woods. Hear the miners working down deep in the dark mines. The sounds of dogs barking. People moving about in the Hob, the black market of the District.

Children's laughter was always a rarity to the District but it also depended on which side of District 12 you were in.

The District was split into four different parts. The Seam, the merchant section, Victor's Village, and the Hob. The two main living sections were the Seam and the Hob. Two very different places.

People from the Seam only conversed with Seam people, merchants only stuck with merchants. The citizens of 12 would have never guessed that people from the two different parts of their home could be friends...

* * *

There was a knock on the door to the small house next to the butcher's shop.

The blonde boy stood before the cottage and rocked back and forth on his heels nervously. He waited patiently, like he always had. He was dressed in his finest clothes and he had a small box held behind his back. His fingers also fiddled with the white daisy that he clutched so delicately in his other hand.

His head snapped up at the sudden noise. He could hear some yelling resonating through the hallway and then it grew silent all of a sudden. He bit his lip and his blue eyes focused on the door before him.

He swallowed nervously as footsteps resonated through the thick door and he prayed to whatever God was out there that _she_ would be the one to answer the door. He was surprised when the door opened and he smiled his best smile, only for it to fall when he didn't get who he was suspecting.

"Good morning, Peeta."

"Hello, Samuel." Peeta greeted the older boy that stood before him. He was tall, much taller than he was. He had short brown hair like most of the people in District 12. It was kind of odd though, seeing as how must of the families in the merchant section had lighter hair while Samuel had dark.

"Uhh... Is S-Shade around?" The taller boy looked the baker's son up and down as if he was making sure Peeta looked good enough for his little sister. Why Samuel was so involved in his business made Peeta slightly agitated. It wasn't like they were going on a date. This was the furthest from a date.

"Yeah, she's upstairs getting ready for the Reaping..." Samuel answered but narrowed his eyes as he jutted his thumb over his shoulder. Peeta calmly held his hazel gaze and he was amazed at how similar they were to his sister's.

"Well yeah, I figured-"

"Peeta?!" He heard the familiar voice call from up the stairs. It sounded hyper and so full of life. It easily floated down from the upper levels of the house and drifted gently into his ears. He liked her voice.

He smiled widely but then sobered quickly when Samuel gave him a pointed look. He clutched the box his hand behind his back and rocked back on his heels again. Samuel was intimidating and Peeta had always been a gentle person but he wasn't one to back down.

However, Samuel was the butcher's son and helped to cut the meat, much like Shade did. It looked odd to see him in clean clothes instead of his blood stained apron and pants.

He heard footsteps come down the stairs and looked inside to see Shade leap down the stairs. She landed with a quiet thud on the ground floor and raised her hands above her head like they had seen when people were in gymnastics. She had seen pictures in a book. She held her pose for a few seconds before she bowed and smiled widely.

She then laughed out loud and jumped on her older brother. She slung her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. The older boy didn't seem to flinch at all, instead, he just let it happen. Samuel grinned and cradled his blonde sister to him.

Smoothing her hair out, her brother sat her down and she released her hold on his neck.

"Don't let your name get drawn, Shay-Shay!" He teased and lightly slapped her cheek but inside his eyes Peeta could tell he was extremely worried. He placed a kiss on her forehead, having to hardly bend down because of her height. She was the same height as Peeta because, apparently, the tall gene ran in her family. Both her parents were tall, even her brothers towered above everyone else in town, except Gale who was from the Seam.

"You worry to much!" She teased before hugging him back. During the hug, his eyes flashed to Peeta who shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, you two better get going. I want you home as soon as it's over, alright?" She joined Peeta outside and she fiddled with her hair once more. It was in a high bun but it appeared that the dark golden locks had been braided before hand and wrapped around into a bun and reminded Peeta of a cinnamon roll that you could pull apart.

She nodded and waved to her older brother before Peeta offered her his arm. She laughed quietly before tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow and walking down their sidewalk.

"I really hate Reaping Day..." She complained as she slouched when they walked. She threw her head back in an exasperated groan before she shut her hazel eyes.

"Me too..." Peeta added but then they lapsed into an awkward silence which was uncommon among the two friends. Peeta suddenly remembered the box in his hands, along with the flower. How had he forgotten about them?

"I brought something for you!" He held the white box out to her and her hazel eyes darted up to his own before she took it into her hands. Their hands brushed against one another and Shade felt a blush rise up to her cheeks. She slipped the lid up and reaching inside, she pulled out the small cake. It was beautiful and the top was decorated with what looked like petals that curled up towards her.

It was a lily.

"Peeta... It's so beautiful!" She said, breathlessly and a smile pulled at her lips. Peeta suddenly stepped up closer to her, brushing some of her golden hair out of the way and tucking the white daisy right above her ear.

"Not as beautiful as you look today..." He replied quietly, his blue eyes glinting. Another blush burned her cheeks and she turned away, cake in hand. It was silent for a moment before Shade turned back to Peeta.

"I'm afraid to eat it...!" She said as she looked at the cake. Her hazel eyes locked onto his and she bit her lip. Oh, she was so cute when she did that. It was just a nervous tick but Peeta thought it was still adorable.

"Just eat it before you drop it!" Peeta said and he watched as she gently pulled the cake apart and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes closed in contentment as she chewed.

"It's so good!" She praised and Peeta felt a sense of pride wash over him.

"I made it special!" The baker's son said quietly and Shade stopped chewing. She looked down at the cake in her hand and chewed slowly. Tearing off a small piece, she held it in her fingers and stepped towards him. Peeta rolled his eyes and opened his mouth, letting her drop the pastry in. She smiled in triumph before popping another piece into her mouth.

Leading the pair forward, Shade continued to walk and eat the delicious dessert, savoring every little bite that she could get.

"You look really nice today, Shay..." Peeta complimented and her hazel eyes sparkled with mirth and mischief. He watched as a blush crept up her neck and turned her ears a cute shade of pink. She wasn't in her normal, every day clothes which consisted of baggy cargo pants and a normally gray t-shirt with some large stains from the blood.

"Well, I suppose it is a bit more attractive than my bloodied butcher clothes. I even got the blood out of my hair!" She replied, messing with her bun. Peeta laughed at her silliness. Reaching up, his eyes widened. He was playing a trick on her and pretended to see a bit of the dried crimson in her soft locks.

"I think you missed some..." He lightly tugged on a loose strand of hair and she rolled her eyes.

"You dress up pretty nice to, Pete!" He smiled smugly when he heard his nickname. She never called him Pete except when she was acting like an adult, which wasn't very often. She genuinely liked the name Peeta. It seemed suiting for him.

"You mean when I'm not covered in flower?" She laughed loudly before nodding. They grew quiet once more and this unexplained feeling settled in the bit of the young girl's stomach.

"Peeta, you're my best friend right?" She asked him once they finished with the cake. He nodded and wondered where this was going. He turned to her and saw uncertainty in her eyes, a very rare emotion when it came to Shade. She just wasn't like that. The complete opposite only met his haze for a moment, holding his gaze steady. "Nevermind... Just be careful, alright?"

The truth was Shade had this terrible knot that had twisted in her stomach. Something was wrong. Or, at least, something was going to be wrong.

* * *

**Shade's POV**

I made my way through the sixteen year old girl's section. Rising up, I stood up on my tiptoes for a moment. I had easily spotted her dark hair over the rest of the girls' heads. I quietly wove in and out of the sixteen year old girls until I reached her. I gently prodded her in the back and she spun around, already guessing who had poked her.

"Fancy seeing you here!" I exclaimed in a fake Capitol accent. Katniss only smiled and laughed quietly.

"Let's just get this _over_ with!" She said quietly as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Curiosity got the best of me and I ducked behind her to examine the intricate up-do that her hair was braided into.

"Katniss, your hair is beautiful!" I told her quietly, making sure she was the only one who heard it. I bet her mother did it. Reaching out, she gently brushed the white daisy that was placed into my hair by Peeta's gentle fingers.

"I like your's too!" She replied just as quietly and I nodded in thanks.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" Effie's voice called over the speakers in the square. "Before we begin, we have a very special film for you, brought to you all the way from the Capitol!" Effie chimed as she walked out onto the stage. Both Katniss and I rolled my eyes and exchanged a look. I hated Capitol people.

Katniss's story and mine is an odd one. We had met when we were both twelve. At the Reaping, actually. We were so scared that our names would be drawn that we had held hands. It was kind of a tradition. Neither of us had been picked. Yet.

I noticed that Katniss had become distracted during the film and found her watching Gale. He was making fun of the Capitol video. Over the years, I had noticed that their relationship was growing. They always hunted together. They spent a lot of time together.

The way they looked at each other now, it appeared that they were more than friends even though they would deny that they were anything more.

"The time has come to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games!" Effied chimed, snapping Katniss out of her trance with Gale. Reaching out, I grasped her hand like we had every year since we were twelve.

Effie walked over to the females' bowl and reached down inside, swirling her hand about in the large fish bowl. Pulling her hand out, she held a slip of paper between her fingers. Approaching the microphone, she unfolded the paper and cleared her throat.

"_Primrose Everdeen_!" My heart stopped beating in my chest. That wasn't my name. That _wasn't_ my name. I wasn't going to go into the Hunger Games. I wasn't going to die. I could stay home with Peeta and everything would be fine and I could continue to live my life. For another year. I still had two Reapings to go.

"Prim!" Katniss squeaked beside me, tugging on my hand. She pulled me forward until we could see her younger sister who was walking towards the stage, shock written on her features.

"I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!" Katniss shrieked by my side. I flinched away slightly at the noise. Katniss pulled on my arm and I held onto her hand tightly.

"Katniss! No!" I growled but she yanked her hand from my grasp.

"Take care of my sister!" She hugged me tightly before racing towards the stage where little Prim was walking towards the steps. Two Peacekeepers rushed forward and stopped her but eventually let her through, seeing how she was volunteering.

I rushed forward and reached Prim the same time Gale had. We just looked at each other for a moment. There were a few silent words that past between the two of us and with a nod, Gale scooped little Prim up into his arms and hauled her away so that her tears were quieted and left the crowd in silence.

Looking up towards the stage, Katniss's face was blank and stony, not showing the Capitol any type of weaknesses.

A couple Peacekeepers walked up to me, asking me politely to return to the girls' side. I quietly complied and then gently guided me back to where I belonged even though the girls were already done.

My eyes flicked over into the boys' section. My hazel eyes scanned the crowd until I found his familiar head of hair. He had a sad look upon his face but I was worried. The boys still had to go.

His blue eyes flickered to me and I forced a smile onto my face. Everything was going to be fine. Peeta was going to be fine. There were at least four hundred other boys' names in there. Peeta wouldn't get chosen.

I just wanted him to be careful. I wanted him to be safe.

Effie's long and relentless speech never came to my ears. My eyes only remained on Peeta and his on me. His blue eyes softened after a while and I could hear the ringing in my ears as Effie prepared to sentence the next boy to his imminent death.

"_Peeta Mellark_!" Time stopped for a moment. Peeta only continued to look at me but his eyes widened in realization. I could feel the blood drain from my face.

He eventually tore his gaze away from me and looked up at the stage, his own skin appearing ashen in disbelief. Effie beckoned him forward but I begged him, mentally, to stay in his place. The sea of boys slowly parted for him, none of them saying a word as he took his final walk through the crowd.

Before I knew what was happening, I was shoving girls out of my way. They all screamed in surprise but my hazel eyes blazed as I made my way towards him. No one was standing in my path.

"Peeta! Stop!" I yelled, my voice cracking slightly but it felt like a brick wall as the Peacekeepers grabbed a hold of me. "No! Please! Peeta!" I yelled, my eyes welling up with tears. Both of the men holding me back, struggled to keep me from reaching my best friend.

I fought so hard, my bun fell from the pins that had been holding it up until the braid simply fell down my back. I watched as he slowly made his way through the crowd, his blue eyes full of disbelief and horror.

And at last, the white daisy fell from my golden locks and landed on the dry ground of District 12 before it settled in the dust.

* * *

I was escorted up into his room. They opened the door and I was shoved inside.

"You've got three minutes!" The Peacekeepers called from outside the wooden door. My chest was heaving and my hazel eyes darted around the room nervously. Adrenaline coursed through my veins after the fight with them. The bastards.

He was sitting on the lone couch in the room. Realizing that he wasn't alone, he quickly stood up and I ran into his arms, slamming into his chest.

"Did they hurt you?" He asked as he took in my disheveled appearance. My hair was loose and my dress was now wrinkled from the scuffle with the Peacekeepers. I completely ignored his question, knowing we didn't have much time.

"Oh my God, Peeta!" I cried as I wrapped my arms around his neck. I held him closely to me and I buried my fingers into his soft blonde hair. I could feel him trembling slightly against me and we just stayed like that for the longest of times. "They can't do this!" I said in a weak tone as I clung to my best friend. He didn't comment or say anything, he just stood there with his arms around me, holding on like he wouldn't ever leave.

"Peeta... I want you to try!" I whispered quietly as I continued to stroke the soft hairs at the base of his neck.

"Shay... I-"

"No, I really want you to try. Try to come back, for me...!" I pulled back and held his face in my hands. His blue eyes sparkled with fear but he met my gaze.

"I-I promise, I'll try..." He said quietly and he gently wiped the tears off my cheeks with his thumbs.

"Stay with Katniss. She'll protect you..." I whispered and he was the one to nodded this time. My other hand fiddled with his soft cotton shirt. "I know she might not be friendly at first but just go slow with her. It will take a while for her to warm up to you..."

"I promise I'll try, Shay..." He said and he pulled me back towards him and we just held each other for the remaining time.

"Times up!" The Peacekeepers rushed into the room and pried us apart.

"Peeta! Stay safe! Survive!" I yelled as they forced me out through the doors and away from him. I fought feverishly until I was too tired for the second time that day and they dumped me back on my own doorstep. I just laid there in the dirt for a few minutes, my dress getting covered in dust. More tears fell freely from my eyes now and my cheeks became muddy.

"Shade?" I looked up through teary eyes. My brother stood over me, concern written upon his face.

"P-Peeta-" I stammered out but he interrupted me.

"I know, I saw it on the TV..." His face was now hard and he looked around at the surrounding houses to see if anyone were watching us. He knelt down next to me and looked at my dress, his brows wrinkling together in concern. My blonde hair was now a dusty mess as well and my hazel eyes were probably bloodshot from crying.

"Up we go, Shay-Shay..." He put his hands under my knees and lifted me up, bridal style, before carrying me into our house and cleaning me up.

* * *

**There you go! First chapter! Oh, I forgot. I don't own the Hunger Games, only Shade and my plot. Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

Three days had passed since they took Peeta away.

Settling down on the couch in front of the TV, I flipped it on. Of course, we only got the one channel and we used the TV just to watch the Games. It was pretty much a rule. Everyone had to have a TV so that they could watch the Games.

The broadcast of the Games would be on in a couple of minutes. At this time, Peeta was probably just arriving in the Capitol. The Tribute Parade would be in a couple hours but I wanted to see him. I wanted to make sure they hadn't hurt him. Capitol bastards.

I never moved from my spot, my hazel eyes glued to the screen as I listened to Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith. Starting from District 1, they worked their way down the list.

District 1 looked strong this year, as they did every year. A blonde girl named Glimmer represented the females. A dark haired boy named Marvel volunteered for the boys. She was somewhat tall and her green eyes hid something disturbing behind them. Marvel was tall but skinny, having a good amount of muscle in his arms.

The pair of them looked extremely stuck up and thought they were the greatest thing since purple hair. I didn't like them.

District 2 came next. My stomach dropped at the pair of tributes. The girl was small but you could tell she was a killer. She was only fifteen and she had volunteered for the Games. That tells you something. Her eyes were dark and seemed like they could bore a hole in my chest. She was just another typical Career, ready to kill anyone who stepped in her path. She would do anything to win.

The boy's name was Cato. He was impossibly big with a handsome face and striking blue eyes. He wouldn't have any problems getting sponsors with a tight chest and strong shoulders like that. He smirked into the camera and for a second, it felt as though he could see me through the TV and was already planning my death. I let my head fall into my hands.

I knew who the Victor of these Games would be. It was completely obvious.

The rest of the Districts went by in a blur. District 4 only stuck out to me like it every year and it was for one reason. Finnick Odair was always proudly broadcast all across Panem, with his perfect teeth and his luscious bronze hair.

I might of had a little crush on him.

It looked like he would be mentoring a couple of younger, less impressive kids this year. Hell, they were still apart of the Careers but it was known that District 4 never trained their tributes. Instead, they just applied their skills in daily life using fishing spears, nets, and tridents.

The rest of the Districts weren't very impressive either. The girl from 5 looked smart as she stood upon the stage during her Reaping. The boy from 8 was extremely small even though he claimed to be seventeen. Ten had a stronger looking girl, maybe giving her a chance to win.

I really sat forward in my seat when 11 came on. The girl, with her dark hair and tiny build, was only twelve and she looked as i she would break in half if you were too rough with her. Her name was Rue. However, when the boy strode up to the stage my eyes widened.

If possible, he was bigger than Cato from 2. He also had dark skin and dark eyes. His muscles bulged under his dress shirt and his jaw clenched as he looked down at the people below him. His name was Thresh.

I sat rigid in my seat when District 12 came on. I was on the camera multiple times. It showed Katniss hugging me and telling me to take care of Prim. It showed her marching up to the stage, a stony resolve on her face.

Then, they called Peeta's name. The sea of boys parted for my golden haired, best friend.

"_Peeta! Stop!_" My voice rang out in the silence that had fallen over the crowd. All heads turned to me with curious eyes. "_No! Please! Peeta!_" My voice cracked out of desperation and in that moment, all Panem held their breath.

District 12 was exciting this year. First, a volunteer. Now, this spark of what seemed to be young love made everyone's heart pang. The desperation in my voice, the fear in my eyes, was both a good and bad thing.

President Snow had effectively crushed my hope. But, the love and care I showed towards Peeta at the Reaping would start something that was much bigger than myself.

* * *

"_So Peeta, tell me a little bit about your home. Do you have anybody waiting for you back home_?" Caesar elbowed Peeta playfully during his interview. The crowd was silent and they were listening intently. Peeta laughed quietly but scratched the back of his neck.

"_Uh, kinda_..."

"_Kinda_?"

"_Yeah, my friend... Her name is Shade_..."

"_Her? Do you mean like a girlfriend_?"

"_Well, she's a girl and she's my friend. Well, more like best friend_..." His cheeks went slightly red and he stumbled over his words.

"_Oh! So you don't have a special girl?_!"

"_Well, Shade is just about as special as you can get_!" Peeta teased, causing the crowd to laugh. My cheeks flushed wildly and Samuel nudged me in the ribs. I lightly punched him the shoulder and went back to watching.

"_Ah! I would bet my boots that she was the one that cried out for you at the Reaping, am I correct_?" Behind them on a large screen, the District 12 Reaping played. I could see Peeta's jaw clenched when my voice came through the speakers.

"_Yeah, that's Shade_..." He replied quietly, a solemn feeling washing over the crowd.

"_So do you have a girl waiting for you to come back? Besides this wonderful Shade you speak of_..." Ceasar questioned and I held my breath._ Don't do anything you'll regret_. I thought to myself.

"_Well... She sorta came here with me_..." The crowd was silent once more and I felt my stomach drop. I always knew he had a crush on Katniss but I never thought he would _say_ anything about it on National TV. Tears stung at my eyes and I bit my lip, letting my head fall.

Rising from my spot on our old couch, I kicked a nearby side table. Pain shot up from my foot but I bit back the pain and was about to leave when Caesar's voice came over the speakers of the old TV.

"_Well that is a bit unfortunate_... " Caesar said and I could practically hear Katniss screaming death threats at him in the background. I froze in my spot in the doorway, my back rigid and my muscles taught. "But, tell us about this girl, Shade! She isn't your girlfriend?"

"_No. Shade... Shade is crazy_..." The crowd erupted in laughter. The banter between the two of them sounded so easy and natural. Peeta was a people person and Caesar just kept the show flowing with almost a certain grace. My cheeks flushed suddenly, knowing that they were all laughing at me.

"_Well, she can be a real hot head at times. Her temper is probably her downfall. But, we're neighbors so we grew up together. But, I swear! She has split personalities sometimes! She acts differently with her family than she does with me_..." Peeta spoke kindly about me and I couldn't help but smile. "_We've had a lot of fun together_..." The blonde boy smiled to himself. The crowd grew silent and I couldn't help but bite my lip out of nerves.

Caesar beckoned for him to continue. "_Before I left, she told me to try and make it back to her. She told me to come home_..." He looked directly in the camera at this time. My cheeks flushed red and I felt as though he was looking directly at me. "_And I just wanted her to know, that I will do everything in my power to come home. I am going to make it back to you_..." The crowd let out an 'aww' and I was in tears by now, I wiped them away and whimpered.

Sinking back down onto the couch, I leaned forward so that my elbows were on my knees. My head dropped into my palms and I just let the tears flow. The buzzer rang behind the stage, signaling that Peeta's time with Caesar was up.

"_Well, I wish you all the luck in the world! Thank you, Peeta_!"

"_Thank you, Caesar_!"

* * *

"_5...4...3...2...1_..." I watched as Peeta raced off his platform into the forest. He glanced back for a moment, making sure that Katniss was alright. She was able to snag a pack before she raced off in the opposite direction.

But then Peeta stopped and began walking back towards the Careers.

"Peeta! Run!" I shrieked at the screen, lunging at it but a strong arm snaked around my waist. Samuel struggled with me in his grasp and he let out a grunt as my elbow connected with his jaw.

"Shay, stop!" He growled but I didn't comprehend his words. I only continued to struggle and finally my father entered the room, a scowl on his face. He saw the two of us fighting and his scowl lifted into a grin.

He was a huge man, the tallest in our family by far. However, my brothers were still growing and would eventually reach his height. With a little luck.

"Samuel, let your sister go..." He said in his warm yet hoarse voice. He sent a fond smile my way and my brother complied and released me. I crawled out of his lap and slowly sat down in front of the TV, my nose almost pressed to the glass.

I shifted uneasily in my seat and smoothed my hair back. Dad left the room and I glanced back over at my brother, sending a playful glare his way. His hair was disheveled and he was sprawled out on our couch. He only raised his dark eyebrow, almost challenging him to another round of wrestling. _Later_. I told him with my own expression.

I only wrinkled my nose and turned back to the TV. My hands nervously played with my hair. It was left in a braid like Katniss wore, to make me feel like I was there in the arena, with them.

I held my breath as Peeta walked up to the Careers who were just finishing up with the other tributes. Peeta cautiously approached with his hands up, showing them that he wasn't a threat.

Cato was the first to raise his head up as he wiped blood off his dazzling long sword. His blue eyes were calculating and they flashed dangerously. I held my breath as Glimmer suddenly ran up to Cato's side, spear in hand.

"_Can I have this one, Cato_?" She whined as she leaned all over him. Whore. I snorted when Cato rolled his eyes and pushed her away from him, his hands flexing around the hilt of the sword. Clove and Marvel soon joined them. The short, dark haired girl was smiling evilly and was about to take out one of her throwing knives and impale Peeta when Cato held out his hand for her to stop.

"_What do you want, Lover Boy_?" Cato asked and his chest swelled as he stood above the shorter blonde boy. I could see Peeta freeze for a moment. He let out a deep breath and his blue eyes looked pleading and submissive.

"_I just want an alliance_..." He said slowly and I watched as Cato mulled it over for a while. Why would they spare him? Why would they let him join them? They didn't have any reason to keep him alive. It would be simpler if they killed him right then. A few tense moments past before Cato's lips turned up in a slight smirk.

"Alrighty then!" He turned and began walking back towards the Cornucopia, leaving Peeta astonished, as well as the others. One by one, the Careers filed out and began gathering up their supplies. I released a shaky breath.

Peeta was safe. I just hope they didn't turn on him and kill him in his sleep. Both of my tributes made it out of the Cornucopia alive and I was thankful. I wasn't going to lose two friends. Not yet.

But one question continued to pull at the back of my mind: _Why didn't they just kill him?_

* * *

"Shay!?" I turned my head to the voice that sounded in the distance. I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face. Knowing the voice to belong to Samuel, I remained in my place sitting on the high tree branch that I was perched upon. Samuel called my voice again but I remained silent.

About a week had passed since Peeta had left. There were only four tributes left in the arena. Thresh, Cato, Katniss, and Peeta.

The chances were horrible for my baker friend and I refused to watch but a new rule was put into place. Two Victors could win. It was because of the whole love thing between Katniss and Peeta.

I, of course, refused to bare witness to his death. So instead, I was out in the forest, hunting. Well I wouldn't call it hunting. It was more like shooting at animals and missing. I held the bow tightly in my hands, an odd present from my eldest brother, Cam. He was a Peacekeeper, which my parents weren't too happy about. He was only trying to provide for himself, doing it the only way possible. I wouldn't blame him thought. They got good pay for the little work they did. And so he had shipped off to District 2 as soon as the Games were over after he turned 18, meaning that his name was taken out of the Reaping pool.

Apparently they trained the Peacekeepers in 2. Big surprise.

Cam knew that I wasn't supposed to be out in the woods but half the time he, was out here himself relaxing and pretending to look for people who were illegally hunting. Like he didn't illegally hunt himself.

"Shay!?" He called again and I rolled my eyes.

"What Samuel?" I called out to him while gripping the bow tightly in my hand. Sometimes, I didn't even know why I tried. I wasn't the best archer. I couldn't hit everything perfectly but I could at least hit something I aimed for. Most of the time. Now, Katniss was the archer. Half the time, I was jealous because of how awesome her skills were.

"Peeta and Katniss! It's coming down to the end! It's just them and Cato! They could come home!" He called and I froze. Immediately swinging down from the tree, I landed with a soft thud and I kicked up dirt as I ran towards the house, right passed Samuel. I ran right past him until I reached the so called "electric" fence where I stopped for two seconds to listen for the electricity before stepping between the wires.

I raced through District 12. People yelled out as I pushed past them and I had to duck underneath two men who were carrying a long crate. I slid underneath, my pants becoming dusty and people gawked as I raced up towards my house.

Practically kicking down the door, I raced through the kitchen, kicking my boots off in the process. Flipping on the TV, they had full coverage of them on.

Katniss and Peeta were standing atop the Cornucopia. My heart rate picked up as I saw that Cato had one of his thick arms around Peeta's neck. My temper flared and I bit my lip. They huge monster of a boy needed to take his hands off Peeta.

"Get off him you monster!" I growled and threw a pillow at the TV. So vicious, am I right?

There was a pack of dog mutations below them that looked like the fallen tributes.

"Katniss shoot him! Shoot the bastard!" I screamed and bit my lip until I could taste blood in my mouth. The iron taste only distracted me only momentarily as I watched the scene unfold. Katniss had pulled her bow taught and was aiming at the two boys.

"_Go on! Shoot! And we both go down and you win! Go on! I'm dead anyway! I always was, right? I couldn't tell that until now..." _He laughed in an almost disturbed way_. "How's that, is that what they want? I can still do this!_" He tightened his grip around Peeta's neck, who let out a strangled breath. "_I can still do this. One more kill! It's the only thing I know how to do, bringing pride to my district! Not that it matters_!" I grew quiet as Cato spoke his words. As I gazed at his bloodied and cut face through the TV, really looking into those blue eyes, I saw something.

Pain mingled with grief and exhaustion. But, there was one emotion that completely blocked out the others. Fear. It was so evident in his eyes and he wasn't the Career anymore. He was only a young kid that was thrust into the Hunger Games. It was a fight for his life and he was only trying to survive. He had never wanted to be in the Games. He was just doing what he was taught.

I watched with sad eyes as Katniss released the arrow, impaling Cato's hand. With a shriek, he released Peeta and the large Tribute fell down to the mutts. His screams rang through the speakers in the stereo, loud and full of agony.

My hands flew to cover my ears. His screams, they were just so terrible. "_Clove_!" I heard him shriek and I wondered for a moment who that was. It didn't matter as his screaming continued. My hands weren't enough. Finally the noises stopped and if you listened, you could hear the faint grunting as the mutts ripped at his body.

Not realizing it, hot tears streamed down my face. This monster, no this _boy_, had taken Peeta in and kept him safe. For the most part. He needed help and I felt sorry for this boy. "Katniss! Help him!" I screamed at the TV, pounding my fist on the screen. She pulled back her bow before releasing it and Cato's suffering ended. That wasn't what I meant.

However, Peeta and Katniss relaxed back on the Cornucopia and the final cannon rang out through the arena. Cato's cannon. He had almost made it. My heart was pounding in my chest, my cheeks still wet with tears. How was this possible? There were two of them but... the rule! I forgot about the new rule!

He was coming home. He was coming home, alive, with Katniss. Samuel walked in the door just as it was finishing before I jumped up and hugged him. He stood tense for a moment before seeing the two Victors on the screen.

He had won the Games with Katniss. I was so relieved to know that they were both alive.

Both of my friends were coming home. And I had helped to keep them alive, in more ways than one. I had fed Katniss's family with Gale's help. I had offered moral support to Peeta's. I had done everything in my power to help them and it had paid off. He's coming home to me.

* * *

I stood before my mirror and looked myself over.

My hair was done up in a gentle, wrap-around braid, my dark golden hair forming a woven crown. I was dressed in a simple green dress that fell to my knees. It brought out the flecks of green in my hazel irises, making my eyes stand out. I slipped my feet into a pair of tan shoes, moccasins, that were lined with fur. They were my favorite shoes.

Reaching over to the vase at my left, I plucked the single white daisy that was in the bouquet of flowers. I raised it to my nose for a moment, inhaling its sweet scent. Breaking off the long stem, I carefully tucked the flower into the end of the braid at the base of my neck.

_Here we go... _I thought to myself.

Upon reaching the train station, I tapped my foot impatiently. A cool wind blew through the District, making me shiver slightly and wrap my arms around myself. I had left my jacket at home. It was abnormal for a cold breeze to occur on such a warm day, considering it was still July.

The chill was forced to the back of my mind when I heard the rumbling of the train on the tracks. My pulse quickened and I began to pace about. I nervously glanced up at Gale and noticed his gray eyes were locked on the landscape. He glanced down at me as well and his jaw clenched. I didn't make a noise as his warm hand engulfed mine, offering a sign of comfort that could be shared between us. Little Prim was on his other side and she was playing with one of her braids, waiting patiently.

I couldn't see the train yet but as the silver vehicle came around the corner, I felt the blood drain from my face.

_This is it... _I sighed internally.

It pulled to a stop in the station and the doors opened with a hiss.

The couple stepped out of the fancy rail car and I smiled widely. Katniss and Peeta looked so nice cleaned up and spotless. They had a tight hold on each others' hands. My eyes drifted downward until it rested on their intertwined hands. Right, Peeta was supposedly in love with Katniss. However, it wasn't the same with Katniss. I could still see she loved Gale. She was only playing the game and pretending to be in love with Peeta was her only option.

I forced a smile to my face. Peeta was back.

As if he could feel my eyes boring into him, his bright blue eyes raised to me. He had dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept at all in his couple of weeks of relaxation. He followed Katniss down the stairs until he stood on the same level I was on.

Before I knew what was happening, my feet had carried me forward until I was standing just before him. Cameras were all around us as they broadcast our heartfelt reuinion to all of Panem.

Peeta released Katniss's hand momentarily and I watched as the dark haired girl moved off to find her family who I had been waiting with. No one stopped me as I slammed into him. My hand tangled into his soft hair and tears streamed from my hazel eyes. Inhaling deeply, he smelled of roses still, just like he had said in his interview. My other hand grasped tightly to his high dollar jacket, holding on for dear life so that he would never ever leave again.

"I came back, Shay. I came back..." He whispered into my ear as he held me close to him. His hand was splayed across my lower back, his other hand was gently rubbing my back.

"I know Peeta... You're here!" I whimpered and he held my shaking shoulders. I had my Peeta back and nothing was going to take him away. Nothing. And if they tried, they would find themselves face to face with one of my butcher's knives. The Capitol could suck my dick.

Then the Quarter Quell was announced.

* * *

"_On the 75th anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female Tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of Victors_..." My mouth dropped open as I watched the TV.

_The Victors would be reaped into the Games, again? But, that wasn't fair! That had never happened in the history of the Games! But, why can't they change that now? _I thought to myself.

"_And as a second treat, the fallen Tributes from last year's Games have been revived through remarkable science and will participate once more in the games!_" The screen on the TV flashed from Snow to the supposedly dead, yet very alive tributes.

Every single one of them, ranging from Glimmer to Thresh, stood out on a platform in the Capitol. Every single one of them looked real and alive, and so deadly like before.

_How is this possible? They should be dead!_ I thought. _But, what if they were never dead to begin with? What if they were just badly wounded or but into a weird type of __unconsciousness_?

"_And since there were two crowning Victors from the previous year, another pair of Tributes will be reaped from District 12_..." My heart stopped beating. The dead Tributes were back and another pair of Tributes were to be sent from 12.

Peeta had upset Snow when two Victors were crowned. I was special to Peeta. I was a nerve that could be struck or used as leverage against my best friend. It often occurred that if Victors had children, they would usually be Reaped into the Games. People only claimed that their family was unlucky. But, we all knew that was a bunch of bull shit.

So may the odds be ever in my fucking favor.

* * *

**Third Person's POV**

The doorbell wrung and Peeta looked up from his sketchbook.

"Peeta?" He heard a familiar female voice call from outside. He immediately stood up from his stool he had been sitting on and answered it. Shade was standing on his doorstep in Victor's Village, shivering slightly from the cold.

A soft, white knit hat covered her ears. Her dark golden hair hung down a few inches passed her shoulders. She had a thick scarf around her neck and a heavy winter coat covered her shoulders. She had a pair of fur lined boots on her feet and her cheeks were pink from the cold air. It was mid winter at the time but snow had not fallen. He stood in the doorway, heat leaking out into the cold night.

"Oh, Shay! Come in!" He moved aside and she gratefully stepped inside.

"Thanks, Pete..." She began taking off her coat and he helped her. She stuffed her gloves in her pockets and bundled up her scarf in her hat. He tucked it away in the coat closet and she smoothed out her frazzled self. She tried fixing her hair but it only ended up in a tangled pile atop her head.

"Here." He moved her hands and fixed it himself. He gently laid the golden strands down where they should go and Shay closed her eyes at the calm feeling Peeta's skillful fingers made as they combed through her hair.

"You're a little early you know!" He said and she opened her eyes. Her hazel eyes sparkled in the light from the chandelier in his home. This was the first time that the pair had a sliver of alone time together. Peeta had recently gotten back from the Victory Tour. He had seen Shade only few times but they hadn't really talked.

"I know! I just couldn't wait to see you!" She smiled slightly but it wasn't a real Shade smile. This one was almost half hearted, if even that. He lead her through the extravagant house to the kitchen. Reaching inside the cupboards, he began to take out supplies.

"What are you doing?" She asked him and he stopped his movements for a while.

"Baking a cake. What I do best!" He smirked at her and she smiled more widely this time. He asked if she wanted to help but she said she just wanted to watch. She was never a good baker.

Sitting perched upon the counter, her feet dangled over the edge. She kicked them back and forth like a child would do. She reached across the way and flipped on a radio that was sitting on the other counter.

"Shay, how does this taste?" He scooped some chocolate frosting out of a bowl and offered it to her. He put it in her mouth and she licked the frosting off. When he tried to pull his finger out, she bit it. He let out a quiet noise of pain before she released it, laughing. She smiled widely and this time, it was a real Shade smile.

"It was good! Can I have some more?!" She hopped off the counter and walked over to where he had the bowl of frosting. He offered her another finger of frosting but this time when she opened her mouth, he wiped it on her nose. She lets out a little squeal and her lips twitched up into a smirk. Reaching around him, she took a finger full of frosting and then placed it into her mouth.

"You have a bit of flour..." She motioned to his cheek and he tried wiping it away but he missed completely. Rolling her eyes, she reached up and gently whipped away the white powder with her thumb. Her finger dragged slowly across his skin and his eyes flicker over her features. Peeta had noticed that she had been acting differently towards him in the past couple of months, as if she were trying to distance herself. His eyes met hers for a moment before she quickly looked away, blushing. Her cheeks burned and she removed her hand from his face.

She walked away from him and sat down on the stool next to the table.

"You don't smile much anymore..." He said as he went back to work on the cake. He didn't look back at her and opted to look out the window instead. She didn't say anything and played with her hair. A catchy song came on the radio and an idea struck the baker's son. He slowly walked over to Shade and grasped her hand in his. She raised her head up and sent him a questioning look. Using his strength, he pulled her up from the stool. He pulled her to his chest and placed his hand on her hip.

"Peeta, you know I can't dance..." He shushed her and they twirled around in the kitchen. He began singing very off key and she laughed loudly, enjoying the moment. He spun her around a couple times, her hair twirling around her. Together they laughed and smiled. It felt good to forget about all the terrible things that had happened in the recent past. And Shay would be the only one able to do that to him.

They continued to dance and laugh for the rest of the night. Peeta was barely able to finish baking the cake and when it was in the oven, he began to wash the dishes with Shade's help of course. Looking out the window over the sink, her eyes lit up.

"Peeta! It's snowing!" She smiled widely and raced to the coat closet with Peeta in tow. They both threw on their coats and winter apparel before running outside. They had left the window open in the kitchen because of how hot it had become and the music floated outside. Peeta watched as Shay ran outside and twirled around in the falling white powder for a few moments.

Stopping her spinning, she caught him watching her and she smiled. She motioned for him to join her and together they played in the snow. He never wanted this moment to end, pretending to be like children once more, not a care in the world. They once again began to dance and they stayed that way for some time. The tempo of the current song was slow and Peeta had his arms around her waist, her arms around his neck. They slowly turned in a circle, perfectly content as to how things were going. She rested her head upon his shoulder and shut her eyes.

Next thing she knew, the ground fell away underneath her. She let out a startled scream as her rear landed in the snow, Peeta on top of her. They landed with a solid thud and sat there, a bit shocked still. She blinked a few times before bursting out laughing. Peeta followed suit and soon, both of them were rolling around in the snow, laughing at how idiotic they probably looked.

Both of them were out of breath as they quieted down and Shay crawled over to his side. She rested her head on his shoulder and he idly played with her snowy hair. He placed his hand on her hip and they snuggled in the mild winter weather.

"I never want this to end, Pete..." She said quietly as they watched the snow fall down upon them.

"Neither do I, Shay. Neither do I."

* * *

**Duhn Duhn Duhn! Oh no! The undead tributes are back and angrier than before! Will Shade have to go into the arena with them? Will she have to fight Peeta? Keep reading and review if you want some more!**


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as I had heard that the Quarter Quell was happening, I decided to help with the Victors' training. We began working out and every day we would go on a run.

The first couple of days it was rough, considering Haymitch was extremely out of shape and well, just plain old. The Victor grumbled the whole 5 miles and I laughed as I sprinted ahead of them.

I was born to run.

So were my brothers. Our long legs helped with that significantly and we were some of the fastest kids in the District. It was something that we were proud off.

"Come on, people! Catch up! Run like you're being chased by a Career!" I shouted back at them. Katniss and Peeta both groaned and continued to jog but Haymitch only stumbled along. I turned around and back pedaled. All three of them were sweating profusely.

I was dressed in a loose tank top with some running shorts. There was a slight burning in my legs but I continued forward, making sure I kept pushing myself to go harder so that in case anything happened, I would be prepared. Especially since my public affection with Peeta last year. The Capitol probably wasn't happy with me.

"Haymitch, come on!" I yelled back to him and he swore loudly.

"Quiet, sweetheart! I'm doing the best I can!" He grumbled and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my throat.

I also helped the Victors build up their upper body strength. Doing gymnastic workouts helped with abs and balance, toning their bodies so everyday tasks turned simpler. My job as a butcher's daughter required a bunch of upper body strength so this strength was almost natural.

Doing all this also helped to keep my body toned and as it progressed, I could see a huge difference in my muscle mass. I could move so much more easily and quietly. My movements were more graceful and and I didn't stumble around so much.

Maybe I was doing this for no reason. What was I thinking? I wasn't going into the Hunger Games. Not in a million years.

* * *

"_Shade Matson_!" Shit. I flinched slightly when I heard my name called. I had just been drawn to be into the 75th Hunger Games. The Quarter Quell. Twice the number of tributes. Twice the number of deaths. And only one winner.

I guess I had been wrong.

I was pulled roughly from the crowd of 17 year-olds and was led up to the stage because I had taken to long. Retching my arm free, I glared daggers at the Peacekeepers. They wouldn't push me around.

Keeping my face stony, I walked up the alley between the boys and the girls. My hazel eyes glowed with nerves and I bit my lip to keep my cool. This couldn't be happening. This just _couldn't_ be happening.

Peeta and Katniss were present and watched as I bravely walked up the steps. My fists bunched as I held onto my mother's old dress. It was light green. My hair was up in a wrap around braid but a few strands had escaped and framed my face.

Out of fear or habit, I looked up and met Peeta's eyes. The liquid sapphires shone with guilt and I had to look away immediately. He thought everything was his fault. He thought it was because we were close friends, maybe even closer. It was both our fault. We both cared to much.

Snow wasn't happy that there were two Victors last year. He only wanted one. He was out for blood and he was out for me.

My face was set in a look of pure determination, at least that was what I hoped that it was. I would show them that I was not to be messed with. I would show the Capitol just how strong the children of District 12 could be.

I wasn't going down without a fight. I wasn't going down at all, not without a damn good fight. I would try to win the Hunger Games.

I stood with my back rigid as a board and looked blankly out into the crowd of faces. In the back of the crowd, I could see my brothers. I could see my parents. They all looked so shocked yet I felt hardly nothing. I had almost knew that this was coming.

My mother had her face buried in my father's chest. Her dark hair hung like a curtain in front of her face. It shielded her warm eyes away from me. I wanted to see them so badly. It would be one of the last times I would be able to see them.

Cam and Samuel were both present. They looked so similar it was heart wrenching. They both had my mother's dark hair but Samuel had the same eyes as my own and Cam had my father's blue eyes. I was the only one in my family who got my father's thick golden locks.

Taking in their strong jaw lines, I engraved their faces into my memory. This would be one of the last times I would see them and I just wanted to leap off the stage into my brothers' arms. They would take me home and say everything was alright and nothing could hurt me. The days would pass and things would be normal at the butcher's shop.

I hadn't prepared a long good bye speech for any of them. I hadn't been ready to say goodbye.

Effie's shrill voice came over the speakers in the square. Clacking over to the boys' ball, she pulled out one of the slips of paper and held it between her heavily manicured nails.

"Kaz Archen!" His father was a Peacekeeper who worked with Cam. The kid was only 13 years old. Still a child, so innocent. I tutored him at school actually. He had difficulties reading so everyday we would stay after class and I would help him with his school work.

Why did it have to be him? He was one of the sweetest kids I knew and I didn't want anything bad to happen to him. His family was made up of three little girls. He was the oldest out of the four and they all adored him.

I could hear them calling his name and I spotted them as they clutched at their mother's legs. Their faces were buried in her skirt which was already growing wet with their tears. His father had his arm wrapped around his mother's shoulders and tears silently fell down her cheeks.

I stood, waiting for them to lead me away to the Justice Building. Haymitch stood behind the four of us and I knew that we were being broadcast live all across Panem. People in all the other Districts were at home, watching us get Reaped. We were the only Tributes.

The rest of the Reapings were over the Victors.

As I turned around to face Haymitch, the color drained from my face. His lips were set in a firm line and for once I think he was sober. He only nodded to me and rested a hand on my lower back, leading me away from the crowd of citizens.

They never took us to the Justice Building.

Instead, they ushered us directly into a car. We all barely fit inside it and I reached over and I was forced against Peeta who took my hand in his. Biting my lip, I kept my emotions in check until we reached the train. We drove for only a few minutes before we reached the station and we got onto the silver vehicle.

No goodbyes. No hugs. No reassuring words of comfort.

I watched as the thick wooded forest swallowed up what was once my home. I actually wondered if I would even make the return journey back. If I do, it was bound to be in a wooden box.

I know I was so sure of myself winning only minutes ago, but not being able to say goodbye to my family one last time had stomped out the flame that had sparked my hope.

"We can write letters, Shay..." Peeta said from behind me. I only glanced at him over my shoulder before looking out into the trees. "It will give them something to hold onto for the rest of their lives, even if we're not with them..." He explained and I was about to lose it.

I was about to burst into tears but held it all in. I _needed_ to be strong and holding in the tears made me feel _impossibly_ strong.

I was ushered to a room that they said was my own. There was a twelve stamped onto the silver metal of the door. When I walked inside, I was amazed at how beautiful everything was. The colors in the room were made up of silvers and dark grays mostly, following after the District 12 mining theme. The large bed in the center of the room looked so soft and cozy. There was a door off to the side that led to what I guessed the bathroom. A closet also lay on the other side of the room.

The Capitol was not shabby when they came to transportation. Actually, everything was quite immaculate.

Glancing around, I noticed a few sheets of paper on my desk, a pen at their side. I sat down in the chair and stared at the blank pages. I knew I couldn't write those letters, because if I did, I would truly be excepting defeat.

I would be expecting my death.

After a few hours of thinking of what I was to write, I heard a knock on the door that jostled me from my mindless staring. Effie told me that it was time for dinner and I got up from the desk and left quietly behind her.

As I sat down at the table, Kaz sat down on my left, Effie on my right. Katniss sat right across from me and I shifted uncomfortably under her gray gaze. She also thought that this was her fault. Me entering the arena. I couldn't look at her.

I looked away and when the food was finally delivered, I think I'd died an gone to heaven. So much food. And it looked so good. I mean, my family wasn't poor but seeing so much food before me was amazing. Not to mention the wide variety of odd colors and smells.

Without hesitation, I pilled my plate full of the colorful foods and began to eat. "Go easy, sweetheart. Your stomach isn't used to the rich food..." I looked up at Haymitch. My lips threatened to turn down at the sickly sweat nickname but I didn't say anything. I couldn't really piss him off just yet.

Like he said, I could feel the food churn uncomfortably in my belly. The room spun for a moment and I braced myself back against my chair so I wouldn't fall over. Taking a deep breath, I slowly began to eat once more. The rest of dinner was filled with uncomfortable silence, except for the quiet bantering between Effie and Peeta.

"I really love your hair, Effie!" Peeta said and I finally looked up from my food. A string of pasta was hanging from my mouth. Haymitch snorted at me and Effie sent me a death glare. Whoops. Guess it wasn't lady-like.

"Thank you, I had it especially done to match Katniss's pin! I was thinking we might get matching tokens so we could all look like a team!" She explained and I risked a look over at Kaz. His face was grim and he looks exceptionally terrified right now. I was too but I didn't really know how to show it so I channeled my emotions by eating a shit ton of delicious food.

"Alright, two new tributes. What exactly do I have to work with this year?" Haymitch asked and I shifted uncomfortably as his gaze fell on me. I didn't need to answer and opted to look at my fingers which sat in my lap. He knew what I could do. To bad Peeta didn't know that.

"She's good with knives..." Peeta said and I looked up at him. My gaze hardened and I narrowed my eyes at him. _Peeta, shut up._ "She's the butcher's daughter. Shade likes to play with knives just as much as Clove does..." I watched as Katniss flinched, remembering the struggles with said Tribute in the arena. Once more Haymitch looked at me expectantly.

For being drunk or hungover, he looked extremely alert at the moment. Maybe he wasn't even drunk.

"Shut up, you already know the story..." I mumbled to him and he raised an eyebrow but smiled. I sighed before continuing for the sake of the others. "Hardly anyone could afford the meat anymore. My brothers and I... We got bored _really_ easily so we had target practice with the knives..." I said quietly as I looked up, directly in to my mentor's eyes this time around. I held his gaze and then it was Katniss's turn to speak.

"She can use a bow. Sometimes, we go hunting together. She helped Gale keep my family fed when I was gone..." Her voice was quiet and she almost sounded pained to speak of Prim and her mother. It wasn't very hard to see that Katniss had loved Gale. Now, as a brother or a lover, I didn't really know. I knew the dark haired boy almost as well as I knew Katniss.

"I'm not that good..." I grumbled while poking at the noodles on my plate.

"She's good enough to feed herself in the arena!" Katniss protested, her eyes narrowed on me. I just glowered into my food but otherwise remained silent.

"And you, kid?" He shifted his gaze from me to Kaz. He only looked down and shook his head. I honestly felt bad for him. Haymitch sighed and leaned back in his chair, biting his fingernail and looking deep in thought for a moment. Sighing once more, he rose suddenly from his chair before leaving the room completely.

"Oh! Why don't we watch the recap of the games, hmm?" Effie said gleefully in her Capitol accent. I only rolled my eyes but didn't say anything. As we sat before the large TV, I swallowed upon realizing something terrifying. They were all older than I was which meant that they were far more experienced, too. Not to mention that they had been in the Hunger Games once already.

The only reason they put us into the arena was so that the Panem citizens could cheer on their favorite Victors and watch as they killed the hopeless Tributes. I was glad that I wasn't one of the Tributes from last year.

The Capitol just brought you back to life and gave you a second chance, only to throw you back in to be slaughtered once again. Yeah, that really sucked. If only we could stop it. What would happen if we all just decided to not kill each other in the arena? What would they do to us? Send in the Mutations.

I watched as they showed both Glimmer and Marvel. Once again, they don't really impress me. Glimmer was a bitch but I thought Marvel was funny as hell. In last year's games, he made so many jabs at the other Careers, I was surprised he had lived as long as he had. After Peeta, Katniss, Rue, and Thresh, Marvel was next. Not because of him being a Career. It was just his sense of humor.

District 2 came on and I straightened in my seat. There was Clove, one of the most talented knife throwers I'd ever seen. God, she was so small but compared to her partner, who wouldn't look tiny?

Speaking of him, he stood proudly next to the small, dark haired girl. He had that cocky smirk on his face from last year and I just frowned when I looked at him. I could still hear his screams as the mutts ripped him apart. He looked monstrous on stage and it made me shiver slightly in my seat. His dark blue eyes shown in the stage lights. He looked even more determined than he did last year. He stared defiantly at the camera, almost willing the viewers to look away so he could kill you when you weren't watching.

He didn't want to die again. And I didn't want it to be a first for me.

* * *

When I went to fall asleep that night, I just couldn't.

I stared blankly up at the ceiling. After this, no matter what happened, my life would change. For the better or the worst? I didn't know. I wish I did cause that would make everything so much simpler.

Rising from my soft, Capitol-made bed, I slowly opened the door and peered outside. It was dark on the train car and I heard the noise from a TV coming from further down the large car.

I cautiously stepped out the door, my bare feet noiseless on the cold stone flooring. I was in a soft pair of warm sweatpants and a baggy shirt that I had found in the closet of my room. I had also showered so my hair hung loosely around my shoulders.

My feet carried me down towards the noise and I arrived at a door. Looking inside the small window, I could see Peeta and Katniss watching television. They sat close together on the couch. Peeta had a notebook in his hands and I could faintly make out his neat writing on the white page. Every once in a while, he would scrawl something down and mumble a few words to Katniss. He was writing notes over something.

"Good lord, Peeta. Still taking notes? This isn't school..." I scolded quietly and they both looked up as I entered the room. The door hadn't even creaked when I had slid it open so they were both surprised to see me in the doorway.

Stepping inside, they didn't say anything as I approached. Katniss only rose from her seat and she wrapped her arms around me. There was the rustling of fabric and I soon felt another person join us. Peeta hugged me from the other side and I finally just felt the tears begin to fall. Katniss rubbed my back soothingly and I clutched onto the back of her shirt, my hands shaking slightly.

"We're sorry... We're so sorry for everything that's happened to you..." Peeta said quietly and he lightly stroked my hair. My shoulders shook slightly as I was embraced by my two closest friends.

"Aww, isn't this just _adorable_..." My head whipped around and examined the dark room. Using the faint light from the TV, I could make out the form of Haymitch. My cheeks were still wet with tears and I angrily whipped them away, not wanting him to see me in this weakened state.

I glared at him but he held my gaze evenly. He sighed before taking a few steps out of the shadows and rubbing a hand over his face. Peeta grasped my arms and moved me slightly more behind him as if to shield me from Haymitch.

"Well, this is a new problem. You never mentioned you were _all_ friends..." He said as he took a seat on the cushy leather coach.

"We were all friends before the Games happened. Well, Shade was friends with the both of us. It's kind of a small world after all..." Katniss explained and Haymitch nodded slowly.

"Listen, sweetheart. Go back to bed. Tomorrow, you have a big day and you _will_ be tired. Go on..." He said and pointed to the door. Reluctantly, I moved from behind Peeta and left without another word but I didn't miss the words that came from the TV.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen_, _May I present the winner of the 50th annual Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell, Haymitch_ _Abernathy!_"

* * *

The next morning, I was woken up early. I was yanked from my bed, screaming. I had been having a nightmare about the Games. Or, I guess, the imminent Games.

Cato had been chasing me through the forest. I knew I was fast but not that fast. Not fast enough to out run a trained Career. He had tackled me to the ground and laughed sinisterly as I squirmed under his weight.

He had rolled me over onto my back and smiled down at me. He gently, almost teasingly pushed my hair away from my face behind my ear. Pulling out his sword, it glinted in the moonlight. Bending down, his lips were right next to my ear. His breath tickled and I flinched away from him.

"_Goodbye, Twelve_..." He whispered in a sing-song voice before he brought his sword down. This was when I had jerked and was jolted back into consciousness.

I lashed out at the person grabbing me and they let out a quiet grunt of pain as my foot connected with something soft. I felt the hands release me and then I rolled off the other side of the bed. I grunted as I landed hard on the floor of my room.

My hazel eyes were wide and I reached for the lamp on my night stand. I knocked the cover off and pulled it from the plug on the wall. Cato was after me. Standing up, my hair was disheveled and in my eyes. Moving it out of my face, I held the lamp firmly in my hands. Haymitch looked shocked from what just happened. I had just went from unconscious to fully awake and armed in three seconds.

"Well, it's you're not a deep sleeper!" He chuckled and I looked down at the lamp in my hands. Without saying a word, I quietly placed it back on the nightstand. I might have to use that later. "The Games haven't even started yet!" I smoothed down my hair and took a deep breath. Sweat coated my brow and I just looked at him for a moment. "Breakfast then prep." He said before he walked towards the door. He looked back at me for one moment before leaving me alone. Dropping down onto the soft bed, I thought I needed to relax for a moment.

I released a shaky breath before placing my head in my hands. It had seemed so real. I had felt the tickle of his breath on my ear. I had felt the cool steel of his blade when it cut into my body. I felt the weight of his body on top of me. I ran a hand through my slightly damp hair before standing up taking a quick shower. I only scalded myself but other than that it was refreshing. Putting on clean clothes, I adjusted the black t-shirt and gray cargo pants. It was weird how they seemed to fit perfectly.

I greeted everyone at breakfast and after I finished eating, I was whisked away to meet my prep team. I shared the same team with Katniss and they were designated as the 'women's team'.

I sat inside a room full of beauty supplies which made me really nervous. I wasn't someone who often messed with my looks because, honestly, I didn't really care. Well, I didn't care _a lot_ but sometimes I did. Like when Peeta had come home.

Katniss soon joined me in the room but we didn't chat much. Luckily, the prep team arrived shortly after so the awkward silence didn't last long.

I was surprised when they didn't scream in shock from my bad hygiene. They were probably used to it by now. I thought I looked awful. Guess, they thought otherwise. My hair had hardly ever been cut so it was relatively long. It was naturally wavy and usually only ended up in a tangled mess upon my head after I woke up.

Right away Octavia, I learned her name was, began combing out my hair. I wouldn't really call it combing, more like ripping. Then she reached for the scissors. She only cut the dead ends off my hair and left it for our designer, Cinna.

Flavius worked on my finger and toe nails. I couldn't help it when he stabbed underneath my toe nail and my foot struck out, giving the Capitol man a bloody nose. I told her sorry and a mad blush covered my cheeks. Well I was just off to a great start. First, I almost attacked Haymitch with a lamp, now I was attacking my prep team.

Samuel would have been so proud.

Then, they began ripping more hair from my body. And I have to say, it was rather painful. I was screaming bloody murder by the end and they had to strap my legs down so I wouldn't kick anyone again. I felt raw by the time that they were done.

After what felt like hours, I was finally left alone so they could work on Katniss. I knew they had been paying her regular visits at her own home so she wasn't as terrible as I apparently was.

Standing up, I had to tip toe around because they had waxed a very _sensitive_ spot. _Never again..._ I told myself as I placed my hand over my lady place. Luckily, they left us alone again and it didn't take long for Cinna to come in.

He began fixing up Katniss and hardly seemed to notice me for the longest of time. I just sat quietly in my chair and watched as she became beautiful, not that she wasn't normally. She was dressed in a dark jumpsuit and her face appeared to be covered in odd shadows. I knew that Cinna would do something amazing like last year, but what?

Sending her away, he now turned to me.

"Hello, Shade!" He extended his hand towards me and I shook it carefully. My stomach churned uneasily as he pulled me from my chair. I made sure to stand completely still as he circled around me. He gently rested his fingers beneath my chin to examine my face. My self-esteem just dropped to a new all time low and I felt very self conscious suddenly. A pleasant smile graced his lips and he nodded as if confirming something.

"Haymitch was right. I was lucky to get two beautiful girls this year!" He said and I blushed wildly. Haymitch really said that? "Would you mind walking around for me?" I raised a freshly waxed brow at him. Alright, whatever he wants I guess. I slowly took a few steps forward and turned around to face my stylist. He nodded and I repeated the motion.

"Spin for me." He commanded quietly and I did just that. He seemed to think something over before he stepped forward and picked up a strand of my soft hair in his fingers.

"You have a certain grace to you, do you know that?" I stopped and scratched my arm nervously. I hadn't noticed I was biting my lip until Cinna copied my motions and raised an eyebrow. I got the message: No lip biting.

Taking out hot curlers, he placed them into my now thinned hair and we waited. He asked me about home life and I told him all about it. I told him about my brothers. I told him about my relationship with Peeta. I told him about the shop. I just talked.

Katniss had told me how much she loved Cinna and I could see why. He was just so easy to talk to.

After a good while in the chair, he took the curlers from my hair and began applying pale make up to my normally tanned skin. He even painted some of the pale make up onto my shoulders and down my arms so that I appeared naturally tan. Slipping into my new outfit, I looked down. I was placed into a dark grey, near black poofy, dress that tumbled down so that my ankles were covered.

It was strapless and left my now pale shoulders exposed. My eyes appeared to be shrouded in shadows as Cinna applied the make up. My dark golden hair appeared to be a rippling waterfall of gold that tumbled down over my shoulders. He stepped back for a moment, picking something up off one of the tables.

He turned back around, a thin yet majestic onyx band in his hands. I watched as he stepped forward and placed the crown on top of my soft curls.

"You are going to be beautiful..." Cinna said gleefully. I smiled weakly and my stomach had knotted itself out of nerves. Pressing a button on a box, his eyes lit up suddenly.

Wondering what was so fabulous, I looked down at myself now. Black smoke billowed around me in a thick cloud. It gently brushed against my skin, leaving a cool tingling sensation where it touched.

"Now, we're going to have a little show for the Capitol... Whenever you're ready, I want you to squat down on the chariot and then stand up. While squatting, remain perfectly still and when you feel some tugging on the dress, don't move. Hold your arms out wide and at this part, you may smile but only a little alright?" Cinna instructed me. I gave a small and nodded.

"Look terrifying, feel terrifying. Don't smile until after the smoke. You know what? Just act like a Career. Got it?" He asked and he suddenly hugged me. He was asking me to act like a Career? I guess I could do that, considering they didn't show hardly any emotion.

"It's kind of like we're rebelling isn't it? Not being very friendly to the Capitol people?" I asked and Cinna smiled before nodding. It was exactly like rebelling.

I was led off the train and into a huge room filled with black chariots, along with the other Victors and Tributes. The black smoke had disappeared a long time ago because Cinna didn't want to give away the effect quite yet.

I met up with Kaz who looked oddly enough like me. He was dressed in a nice suit and he was very pale. The vest he had on was a dark gray, the pants black, and his bow tie stark white. His normally brown hair was slicked back and he looked rather professional as well.

I shifted nervously in my spot and I had to itch my scalp but I didn't want to mess up my hair. It was an odd feeling, being so dolled up and fancy. The fanciest thing I had worn was the dress that I had worn when I went to visit Peeta at the train station. It had been a rich green dress and it had been extremely soft and silky. I actually liked it.

Hearing the doors open, a wide smile graced my lips as his familiar face came into view, looking handsome as ever.

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**Chapter 3! Thank you for the reviews and I'll try to post chapters every day but its hard with my busy life. Review and thanks again!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Third Person's POV**

He walked off the train and she smiled. He was looking as handsome as ever. Peeta was dressed exactly like Katniss and he walked down the stairs until he was on the platform. He looked around the room for a moment, surveying everything that was happening. His face was blank until he looked over and found Shade beside Kaz.

He smiled brightly at her and she gladly returned the favor. Walking towards them, her dress swished across the ground and she was glad Cinna had left her bare foot because her legs would probably have given out from nerves.

Shade's breathing was shaky and Peeta slowly enveloped her in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her bare shoulders and held her to him. Stepping back, he held Shade at arm's length.

"Shay! I've never! You look... good." He stuttered out and it was cute when she saw his cheeks turn pink. Her own cheeks turned pink and she resisted the urge to bite her lip. She laughed quietly and looked down at herself.

"I suppose this doesn't even compare to my butcher's apron!" She bunched up a bit of her dress in her hands before dropping it. It was Peeta's turn to laugh and he nodded. He picked up the silky material in his fingers and felt it.

"I suppose it is some improvement..." She feigned hurt at his words and frowned.

"I feel so loved." She said sarcastically and rolled her eyes, removing a bit of fuzz from the black material on her stomach. She continued to fight the urge to scratch at anything.

"Oh, you know you are!" Peeta replied and lightly tugged on one strand of her hair before looking off into the crowd. She did the same, seeing people were mingling together. Victors talked with other Victors and Shade recognized a few of them from previous games.

She rang her hands together out of nerves and she lightly bit her lip. Her hazel eyes cautiously darted around the room, looking for anyone who might try to attack her.

_Who was I kidding? The Games haven't even started yet and I'm paranoid! _She thought to herself.

Her stomach churned and to rid her nerves, she walked up to the horses that would pull her carriage. She had only seen horses leading the chariots in the opening ceremonies of the Games but never in real life. They were cool creatures and Shade wondered how fast they could run should the need call for it. She patted the creature's neck and felt his soft fur beneath her fingers.

The soft silver fuzz stuck out between her fingers as she ran her hand over it. She suddenly felt a presence beside her and found it to be Katniss. She also began to pet the horses but they hardly exchanged any words.

"Don't be nervous, Shay. You'll do great. You look so beautiful..." She said quietly as she looked directly at Shay. The Tribute suddenly heard a crunching noise and when she turned her head to the sound, her nose was just inches from someone else's.

He had only been walking through when he saw her standing near the District 12 carriage. She was dressed in a wonderful black dress that accentuated her fine curves. A smile tugged at his lips when he noticed her bare feet hidden beneath the dark fabric.

How endearing.

Walking up behind her, he crunched loudly on a sugar cube on purpose. He watched as she tensed and slowly turned around.

Sea green eyes met her hazel ones and she held their gaze evenly. Finnick Odair stood only inches from her and she tried her hardest to keep herself from swooning.

She could feel her cheeks flush bright red and she was thankful for all the makeup that covered it up. He popped a sugar cube into his mouth and smiled at Shade. She blinked a few times to try and determine if this was a dream or reality.

"Hello, Shade!" He said, his voice smooth and even. He knew her name. Finnick Odair knew her name. He said it so casually too, as if he had known her his whole life. "Katniss..." He nodded to the female Victor at her side who in return rolled her eyes. He only smiled at her for a moment before his gaze drifted back to the tall blonde girl.

"Hello, Finnick." Katniss grumbled and Shay laughed sheepishly at how annoyed she was with him. She felt very uncomfortable with him being this close, especially with him being so... exposed. But, he was tall, athletic, and just all around nice to look at. So, she wasn't entirely protesting.

His skin was a pleasant gold and he had long bronze hair that appeared to be spun of gold. He had a strong jawline and with what little clothes he was wearing, she could see all his finely toned muscles.

"Want a sugar cube?" He asked as he opened his palm and shoved his hand into her face, breaking her personal bubble. She flinch away slightly and gently pushed his hand away but he captured her's in his own. He held it in his larger hand, not even thinking about letting it go.

"Finnick, go away!" Katniss growled and Shade wondered what her problem was. Acting rather obnoxiously, Finnick got down on his knee and dramatically brought her hand to rest over his heart. She tried to keep her hand in a fist, ready to punch him if necessary but he forcibly extended her fingers. She could feel his heart underneath her hand and oddly enough, it brought a comforting feeling with it.

It somehow comforted her to know he was human even if he did look like the Greek Gods that she had read about in a book one time.

"Don't send me away, beautiful woman! I know I do not deserve to gaze upon your beautiful face but don't send me from your sight, my Queen!" He called out and everyone in the room grew silent. Subconsciously, she reached up and felt the band on her head. Guess it was her crown if she was a queen.

Looking down at his outfit, she realized he was basically nude. A golden net was draped across his bare chest, with a rather large knot covering his manhood and backside. Apparently, the more of Finnick the Capitol saw, the better. Shade blushed madly again and tried to pull her hand away but he kept it to his chest.

"Finnick, please stop! You are kind of embarrassing!" Katniss hissed and eventually everyone went back to their own conversations. Finnick was just being Finnick. Apparently everyone was okay with that.

"You are rather gorgeous, you know that right?" He asked more quietly and she slowly nodded, feeling self conscious. He completely ignored Katniss's request and instead pressed on.

"That is kind of the point, is it not? To get sponsors?" She asked and continued to try and escape his grip. He rose up from the ground and beamed down at her and she was about ready to swoon once more.

Grasping a handful of her golden curls, he twirled them around in his fingers while looking her directly in the eye.

"Whatever happened to the innocent girl I saw on TV get Reaped, hmm? Are you sure you are the same person? Why are you hiding in the darkness?" He ruffled her dark dress before holding up a few strands of her sun bleached hair. "You appear to be a person who walks in the sunlight..." Shade only shrugged and let her eyes wander about the room.

Risking a glimpse over her own shoulder, her eyes met sharp blue ones. The ones that haunted her dreams lately. The ones that had her waking up in a cold sweat, shaking.

Cato looked around the room, examining and scrutinizing all the other Tributes and Victors in the room. All the people gathered were weak. Weaker than he was. H wouldn't loose this year.

However, a loud cry rang out through the chariot room. Everyone turned their head in that direction, including the blonde Tribute.

The famous Finnick Odair was down on his knees, seeming to profess his undying love for the woman who had her hand on his chest. He rolled his eyes. Odair may never learn. Hopefully Cato could get a could chunk of him in the arena. His womanizer ways were annoying and Cato didn't particularly like him.

However, the girl was what drew his attention away from the dramatic Victor.

Her long hair tumbled around her shoulders like a curtain of golden silk. And taking in her hair, he noticed that her skin was pale yet completely smooth and perfect. He wondered if it was as soft as it looked. A dark onyx band sat atop her head, almost like an ominous crown forged from the heart a volcano. Her face was also completely pale and smooth but judging from the lightness to her hair, he actually thought her skin to be more sun kissed and tan.

Her eyes were what drew him in despite the other fine qualities she possessed. They seemed to be peculiar mixture of brown and green. He also swore that he could see some golden flecks in the brown-green depths. He wondered how they would appear if she were closer to him.

Appearing to sense his eyes on her, the Tribute raised her eyes to look at him and he recognized her face. This was the girl that was Lover Boy's friend. The one that had inspired people to love one another more fiercely after her public display of affection. It wasn't often that someone would step out of line to try and say goodbye to their loved ones. And when it did happen, it usually was a parent or sibling.

Never another teenager.

Looking back at one another, the two Tributes locked eyes. He was surprised when she didn't look away. He puffed out his chest slightly, trying to make himself appear bigger but she didn't even notice. She just calmly continued to hold his gaze and he swore he saw a small smirk on her lips. She also raised an eyebrow, showing just how confident she was.

She knew how good she looked.

If Haymitch had been there, he would have told Shade to not make eye contact, to just lay low but she still held his gaze. He just continued to watch her. Looking down for a moment, she noticed that he was dressed in a similar fashion as last year.

It was a typical District 2 get up. Gladiator. He had a white toga draped loosely across his form, the crease dropping as low as to show off his toned chest and shoulder. A golden crown of leaves adorned his head as if he had already won the Games. But she had her own crown.

Her eyes darted back up to his face and she noticed him looking her over as well. She shied away from his gaze and turned back around, hiding behind a curtain of her own hair.

When she glanced back through her hair, she noticed him talking to the other Victors, Brutus and Enobaria. He looked deeply intrigued by something and he glanced back over her direction before talking to Brutus again. One could only guess they were talking about her. It unnerved her slightly.

"Shade!" She was pulled from her thoughts as Finnick squeezed her hand once more. He grabbed a handful of her dress and felt the soft fabric.

"You know, this Quell thing is really terrible. Someone so young having to die, Victors fighting against each other even though they were old friends... If you were to win this, you would be rich beyond your imagination!" He said as he continued to finger the dress.

He took another step closer to her until their chests touched. His lips were only inches from her own and she wanted so badly to hold his gaze, to be fearless like he was. But, she blushed and she was pretty sure the make up couldn't cover this one.

Looking down, he saw her blush and laughed quietly. Leaning down towards me, he placed his lips right next to her ear.

"So what's your secret, my Queen? What talents lie behind those big hazel eyes of your's, hmm?" He whispered into her ear, his breath warm and it tickled her skin. Much like Cato's had.

It was odd, being this close to a killer. She suddenly felt uncomfortable. He was too close for comfort and the thought of him killing so many people filled my head. Pulling back, he locked his sea green eyes with her own and she swallowed nervously.

Shade felt as though he could see everything she was thinking. Feel everything she was feeling. He had the same wants and she desires he had. She didn't like it.

"Aw, our fun has to end, love! Peeta's coming and I know how protective he is of his ladies!" He winked playfully before popping another sugar cube into his mouth and releasing her hand.

"Hello, Peeta!" Finnick greeted the shorter man and said man did not look pleased. Shade just did not understand why no one liked Finnick. She liked how he seemed to be so cheerful even with their eminent deaths only a few days away.

"Mr. Odair..." Peeta nodded to him, sending a cold stare his way. Finnick just scoffed at this and smiled his boyish smirk.

"No formalities please, Mr. Mellark!" Finnick winked at her again and her cheeks heated up, causing Peeta to suddenly tense up. He looked between them for a moment before realization dawned on his features.

Reaching out, Peeta pulled her towards him almost like he was keeping her from Finnick. She could tell Peeta was agitated and suddenly very possessive. He didn't want to share her?

"Shay, it's time to get on the chariots..." He informed her in a low voice and he towed her to the one she was supposed to ride. Peeta was a little agitated that Finnick followed them over and they stood before her chariot now.

Peeta moved aside so that she could step up onto the high platform. He held her hand to help her balance and her feet got tangled up in the fabric of her dress. She about fell over but she then felt another pair of strong hands steady her shoulder and she balanced out on the chariot. She smiled down at Peeta, thankful for the help and Finnick cleared his throat, hand still on her hip and arm. Rolling her eyes, she sighed.

"Thank you, Finnick..." She said, trying to sound polite. He only beamed up at her before grasping her hand in his and bring it to his lips.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. We will meet again, _Shay-Shay_!" He called over his shoulder and waved. She internally growled when he used the nickname that only Peeta and Samuel used on her.

No one called her Shay-Shay. No one.

Peeta must have seen her fuming before he smirked and raised an eyebrow up at her. His look was expectant and Shade only rolled her eyes before shaking her head, causing the golden curls about her shoulders to bounce. Kaz suddenly appeared beside Peeta and looked up at Shade in awe. She felt her face heat up and his gaze stayed on her the entire time.

She offered a hand down to the thirteen year old and he took hold of her hand and hauled himself up. She winced as he grasped her hand tightly and by no means he was not a small boy for his age. He was almost her height and he was only thirteen!

Shade watched as Peeta and Katniss's suits lit up and they looked exactly like burning coals from a fire. They both shone beautifully and she couldn't take her eyes away from them. They emerged through a wall of flames and the crowd went wild with excitement. Her heartbeat quickened considerably and she held her breath.

This was it.

Without thinking, she grasped onto Kaz's hand and his face almost looked grateful as he held her warm hand. They were given the cue and the horses began trotting forward. Both of them had their faces blank and void of all emotion. They clutched tightly at each others hand, never wanting to let go. As they came out into view, the crowd cheered and waved at the two of them. Cameras flashed, nearly blinding her but Shade kept an unwavering look of boredom on her face. She exuded power.

However, the two Tributes did not smile. Not yet.

Shade had to release Kaz's hand to do what Cinna had told her. Bending down at the right moment, the smoke suddenly swirled around her and she remained still for five seconds as something tugged at her dress.

The smoke around her turned white and after the tugging stopped, she straightened back up and spread her arms wide, a smile taking over her features.

The crowd screamed in response to what had just happened but Shade was still confused. What had happened that caused them to go so crazy?

Feeling something drifting down on her, Shade glanced up.

Snow appeared to be drifting down from the sky all across the crowd. It was snowed lightly on the two tributes and Shade noticed that some of the fake snow had accumulated in her hair.

Looking up to the screen, she now understood what had happened. The black dress had been replaced with one that was as white as the snow that fell around them. Her eye makeup was only slightly lighter, adding to the mystery that was this Tribute.

What comes after fire, then smoke? Ash.

Also, the onyx circlet was replaced with one that seemed to be made from shinning ivory. And for some odd reason in that moment, Shade felt like royalty. She felt like one of the Queens in a story she had read from one of the Old World books. She felt important.

This was incredible. Never before had she felt so loved and wanted by so many people.

Pulling into the circle of Tributes and Victors, they stopped right in the middle behind Peeta and Katniss. Feeling the daggers being thrown her way, she looked over her left shoulder and saw Cato, Clove, Glimmer, and Marvel all glaring at her. She only smiled triumphantly over at them before facing forward once more.

They were just jealous. Or maybe they just wanted to kill her.

Shade liked the first one better.

Snow stepped out onto the balcony of his home and Shade had to fight back the sneer that wanted to pull at her features. He was the man that caused all this trouble. He was the man that sent 23 teenagers to their death every year. Some people called that one living Tribute a monster but no. The real monster stood before us.

He gave his speech like he did every year and then they rode into the Training Center. Shade released a shaky breath and smiled widely. The snow stopped falling when the door shut behind them and Peeta hastily approached her.

Raising up his arms, he placed his hands on her hips. She slowly stepped off the chariot and he lowered her gently onto the floor. Her feet landed quietly on the cement ground but it was cold on the balls of her feet.

"Shay, you were great!" He smiled and gave her a warm hug. She didn't really see how she was great. All she did was bend down and stand back up with a different dress on.

Their attention was called away by a voice overhead, telling the Victors and Tributes to separate which meant that Shade was left alone with just Kaz. The Victors were sent to their rooms first, seeing how as they were more important than the Tributes were. But as the Tributes were released, Kaz offered her his arm and together the two walked to the elevator.

They both looked rather snazzy in their high quality clothes and as they waited for the elevator to open, another couple stepped up beside them. Shade could feel their hard glares upon her back and finally the doors open. Kaz apparently felt it too and his jaw clenched up in fear.

She pulled Kaz inside quickly but before the doors could shut, Clove and Cato stepped inside as well, dressed in their gladiator outfits.

Shade could feel the tension in the air. It was so thick, she could hardly breathe. Facing away from the door, she turned to look out at the city as they got higher in the air.

Grumbling, she bunched up her dress so that her long legs are exposed up to her knees. This dress was starting to get heavy.

"You guys are from District 12, right?" Asked an overly confident voice. Shade's shoulders stiffened and she stopped breathing for a moment. She looked over at Clove and saw her smiling sweetly at her. But she wouldn't let her kind acts fool her. She saw what she could do last year and it terrified Shade to no end.

Cato was glaring down at Kaz whose grip on her hand tightened. He looked nowhere near to answering and she turned her head towards Cato. He turned his harsh gaze on her and she felt her hair stand on end, being in such a close space with two professional killers.

Kaz seemed to relax some since she took Cato's glare full force, never blinking, only narrowing her eyes at him. She titled my head to the side slightly and pipped up.

"Yeah. We're from Twelve. This is Kaz and I am-"

"Shade Matson. Seventeen years old. Two brothers. Your father owns a butcher's shop. You're friends with the Victors from District 12, and you're right handed..." Cato surprised her when he answered, basically telling her her own life story. However, he got one aspect wrong. Her gaze had left Cato so that she could speak directly to Clove but his sudden interruption caught her off guard. Her eyes darted up to his and she was glad the make up covered her blush. Cato the killer from 2, knew her name as if he'd known it for years.

"How do you know I'm right handed?" She asked, her eyes narrowing once more. Cato only smirked at her before nodding to her and Kaz's hands.

"You forced him to your left side so that you could defend yourself with your right hand..." He replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Shade just raised her eyebrows but commended him on that talent.

Cato was right. Her eyes were different up close. They seemed more golden.

"You're Lover Boy's friend that he talked about last year. Sometimes, he would say your name in his sleep..." Cato said as he watched the numbers on the screen rise as they continued upward. "Surprise, surprise. The Capitol is ruining everyone's lives..." He sighed and visibly relaxed as if some huge weight had been on his shoulders. A ping filled the small space and the elevator doors opened.

"This is our floor! Goodbye, Shade. _Kaz_!" Clove winked at the boy by her side before leaving. He visibly tensed and Clove giggled quietly before flouncing off the elevator. She was messing with his head.

Cato didn't say anything and instead he just looked at her with his intense blue eyes. Shade also just looked back at him before he ducked his head slightly and stepped off the elevator. After he left and the doors closed, she relaxed slightly and let her dress fall back to the floor. God, that had been scary.

Upon reaching the twelfth floor, Haymitch told them to get cleaned up. He led her to her room and she immediately unfastened her white dress. It slipped off her form and fell to the ground around her ankles. Shade searched her room until she found the bathroom.

After she used the amazing shower to clean off, after she was scalded once more, she felt completely clean and normal again. Slipping on a pair of simple pants and a shirt, she went out and ate supper with the rest of the team. She also pulled her damp hair up into a tight bun.

"So how was your first day in the Capitol?" Haymitch asked, curiosity getting the best of him. Shade glanced up for a moment before looking back down at her plate. The encounter with Finnick popped up, as well as the one with the Tributes in the elevator.

"Just great..." She replied quietly before shoving some weird purple vegetables into her mouth. Haymitch watched me for a moment before he did the same thing and dropped the subject.

_I just have half the Tributes and Victors already wanting to kill me..._ She thought to herself as she continued to chew.

They watched the recap of the Games after supper and Shade sat between Peeta and Haymitch. Katniss seems moody for some reason and Shade couldn't help but wonder why. It seemed kind of funny, what the Capitol does. They dress a bunch of kids up in weird costumes and parade them around before sending them to their deaths.

Shade only worried about what was to come tomorrow at training. There goes a good night's sleep.

* * *

**Tada! Review! And thanks for reading! I love Finnick... So, so much...**


	5. Chapter 5

There was a loud rapping at my door that once again jolted me awake. I hadn't had a nightmare last night, I was just on high alert incase any of the trained killers on the floors below me decided to murder me in my sleep.

Emerging from my room yawning, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. My training clothes had been laid out the night before so I just stepped into them this morning. They looked similar to the ones last year except the red accents were now white.

After breakfast, I rode the elevator down stairs with the rest of my team. A golden Mockingjay pendant dangled from my neck on a strip of black cord. Effie actually went through with her us becoming a team.

Haymitch had a thick bangle around his wrist and Effie had her hair. Katniss had her pin. I don't know what Peeta or Kaz had yet.

My hair was set in a high pony tail but then it was wrapped around in a high bun but having my hair straight, odd pieces stuck out in every direction, making it appear like a ball of crazy spikes.

I walked into the training room, feeling as confident as ever. Haymitch told us to make friends. I didn't want to make friends.

When he said that, I was sure he was only talking to Peeta and Katniss. Haymitch was, supposedly, good friends with the victors from 11, Chaff and Seeder. They seemed nice enough when he introduced me to them last night but it was a bit awkward when Chaff suddenly kissed Katniss.

On the lips. In front of Peeta.

Upon walking in the door, everyone turned to watch us. I felt my cheeks blaze bright red but other than that, I didn't show any emotion. A woman stood upon a platform above everyone and she explained the rules that would be enforced in the Training Center. After she finished, we were released to do whatever we wanted.

Upon walking around, I took Kaz with me. He looked a bit lost and I actually wanted him to learn something so that he wouldn't die in the bloodbath which seemed inevitable. Sorry, but the kid was dumb as a pale or rocks.

I led him over to a random station. How to start a camp fire. That should be easy, right?

Twenty minutes later, I am able to successfully start a fire. Well, I should say start my _instructor_ on fire.

He began running around the Center screaming until someone grabbed a bucket of water from the pool. They dumped it over his head and everyone turned to glare at me.

Okay, maybe I shouldn't try starting fires.

Onto the bow center.

When I arrived, Katniss was the only person present, of course. We began shooting and it felt good to do something moderately normal. Dressing up as a ghoulish girl in a black dress was something that was not normal for me.

After about an hour of archery, I was not as terrible as I thought I was. Katniss had given me a few pointers about steadying myself and it helped. Some. Not very much.

When we arrived at the swords, I was nervous. Kaz followed behind me and the instructor was really nice. He taught me how to block and expect where strikes would be.

Soon, he had the both of us sparing against one another. Swords weren't so bad, they were like using really heavy and long knives. But other than that, they were relatively easy to use.

Walking around, I noticed an appealing station. Knives.

Smiling, I walked over to the stand and wrapped one of the fully stocked belts around my waist. Pulling one of the knives from its place, I held it in my hand and tested how it felt against my fingers. The steel was smooth and extremely cold, almost freezing. I tested the weight and judged the distance so that my weapon wouldn't fall short. _It's just like at home._

With a quick flick of my wrist, the knife lands with a solid thud in the highlighted target. I smiled to myself before pulling out one after another. As I reached for another knife, my fingers found all my slots empty and I frowned.

"So, you're secret is _knives_?"

My head swiveled around and leaning casually on the wall was Finnick. He was grinning at me, apparently liking what he saw. I suddenly grew very nervous and swallowed.

"Uh, not really... I don't have any secrets..." I said and grew even more nervous as he began walking towards me. I took a few steps back and wadded my fist up, ready to punch him if he tried anything.

"You look to be an agile little thing. Speed, maybe? Do you like to swim?" It almost looked like he was talking to himself for the first part of the sentence and I hardly noticed that he directed the last part towards me. My face paled and I shook my head.

"Oh come on! It's not that bad!" He protested and began pulling me over to the pool. I dragged my feet the whole way, looking around for Peeta and Katniss, or anyone for that matter. All the other tributes and victors were preoccupied, leaving me at Finnick's mercy. Where the hell was Kaz?

Oh right. He was with Peeta. And Katniss.

Next thing I know, I'm being shoved into the women's restroom with a swimming suit in my hand. Sighing, I walked into a stall and began to strip before I slid into the silvery one piece suit.

Walking out of the bathroom, I felt a bit self-conscious. My eyes darted around the room, hoping no one saw me and I quickened my pace. My bare feet pounded quietly on the cement floor but I could hear a few snickers from the tributes I passed. Upon arriving back at the pool, my stomach dropped.

"Well, go on then. Get in the water..." Finnick said as he walked from the men's bathroom in a silver speedo. Blushing, I held up a hand up to cover his exposed body and I looked away, embarrassed. He only laughed before rubbing a hand through his hair which fell perfectly after he ruffled it. What was I getting myself into?

I sighed before looking at the water for a moment and I set down my clothes. Backing up a few feet, I got a running start and dove gracefully off the side of the pool and into the clear blue water below.

My hair instantly was soaked and when I resurfaced, there was a blur of skin before Finnick dove into the water next to me. I treaded water while I waited for him to come up and after a few minutes, I was sure he had drowned.

But of course not. He was from District 4. Fishing.

Looking around, I looked for the bronze haired man only to come face to face with him. He was smiling widely and I flinched before doing pushing away from him and put some distance between us.

"Don't do that!" I growled at him but he only laughed at my half-hearted anger.

"What? You don't like it when I'm close to you?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively and began floating towards me. I growled internally before trying to swim away, only to get a hand around my ankle. Being yanked back, Finnick secured me against his chest and we just floated.

"You know you love me..." He teased and I rolled my eyes. I let Finnick support my weight in the water and I was grateful, considering we were out in the middle and the edge was clear on the other side.

"Where did you learn to swim in District 12?" He asked suddenly as he turned us in a slow circle. I lightly pushed away from him until I was floating by myself. I treaded water for a few moments, only blowing bubbles as I thought of an idea. Looking around, I swam closer to him.

"There is a pond in the woods..." I whispered and his eyes suddenly widened.

"You go into the woods? You're not supposed to be in there!" He said rather loudly and I clamped my hand over his mouth. Glancing around again, I noticed no one looking at us before I removed my hand.

"I know I'm not! But look at me now! I'm not drowning!" I said as I playfully dunked his head underwater. He resurfaced moments later, his hair re-wetted. It was flat against his head but he only smiled at me and I knew I would get the blunt end of this game. Finnick raised his hand above his head and I flinched back, ready for the strike.

But I only felt a small splash in front of me and when I reopened my eyes, Finnick was just looking at me.

He had his eyebrows raised seductively and I began to swim backwards, wanting to get as far away as possible. He followed directly behind me, gliding gracefully through the water towards me as if he were a freaking _fish_. I continued swimming backwards until my back pressed against the pool side. I shrunk back as far as I could and my stomach churned nervously.

"Finnick..." I whined but he only continued paddling towards me.

"Shade..." He whined back in a mocking tone until he was only inches from me. Taking a deep breath, I shut my eyes. I flinched back as I felt his hot breath upon my face. It smelled sweet, like mint.

"What do you say, love? Do you have any secrets worth my time?" I felt his hands place themselves on my sides and he played with the silky fabric of the silver suit. I placed my hands over his and gently tried to push them away, silently telling that I didn't want this. Turning my head, my nose brushed against something. Upon opening my eyes, I realized they were his lips and my face heated up immensely.

I had... Well, I actually had zero experience when it came to kissing boys. I was a butcher's daughter. Nobody dated a butcher' daughter. Especially when I had two butcher brothers at home, too. We playrd with knives and were covered in blood all day. That's not exactly a turn on for most guys.

We heard someone clear their throat to the right and turned our head. The group of Careers was standing together, watching us. My face heated up instantly as I found Cato smirking while shaking his head at us. I immediately pushed away from Finnick and swam to the other end of the pool.

I began doing laps to try to clear my head. I could feel eyes on me the whole times but eventually grew bored and climbed from the water. Hearing laughing, I looked over to find the Careers finding something rather funny. Picking up a towel, I glared at them as I dried off. I knew that they definitely weren't laughing at my body, I was in very good shape.

That's what I got for being a gymnast.

When I really thought about it, I bet that they were laughing at the way they found me with Finnick. They all looked over at me but my eyes found a particularly sharp pair. Cato and I exchanged a glare but something in his eyes changed for a moment before his stony resolve was back in place.

I glanced over into the water so I could say bye to Finnick but I only found his body on the bottom of the pool.

"Bye, Finnick!" I called but he didn't resurface. I tried calling to him once again and I was suddenly very scared.

"Hey, _Twelve_. I think Odair is drowning!" Marvel called over to me and my gaze darted to them. My temper suddenly flared and my forehead creased.

"Well, don't just stand there! Do _something_!" I snapped, throwing my towel to the side in exasperation. The group of Careers only laughed at my anger and I looked back to the pool. Finnick hadn't move from his spot on the bottom of the pool and without another thought, I dove into the water.

It stung to open my eyes underneath the water but I blinked away the pain and searched for Finnick. It was empty so I found his un-moving form easily. Kicking my feet, I dove down deeper and he continued to only lay on the bottom of the pool. Wrapping my arms around his midsection, I tugged him towards the surface. His weight brought me down but not as much as I thought it would.

My lungs screamed for air and my ears popped as I paddled upward. When I broke the surface, I gasped for air and pulled Finnick up. I took a second to get my bearings straight before I began pulling his body behind me towards the edge of the pool.

I began coughing as I climbed from the pool water. Strong arms lifted me entirely from the water and a fresh towel was wrapped around my shivering shoulders. Peeta cradled me against his chest, gently stroking my wet hair.

I watched as Finnick's body was pulled from the water and was laid down on the tile flooring around the pool. His skin was pale and his eyes were closed. People began to gather around after hearing of the commotion but it was odd when none of the trainers rushed over.

"Does anyone know CPR?" I screeched as I pushed away from Peeta's chest. No one answered my question as I bent over him. Of course no one did.

I gently moved his wet hair from his face and placed my hand on his cheek. It was freezing.

"Finnick? Finnick... Wake up!" I said frantically as I slapped his cheek a few times. Feeling under his jaw, he didn't have a pulse. I opened his mouth and bent over him. Placing my ear next to his mouth, I listened for breathing but panicked when I heard none. I pinched his nose shut and placed my mouth over his. Blowing air into his mouth, I watched as his chest rose and fell slowly. Placing my hands on his cold chest, I began pumping up and down at a steady rhythm.

After thirty reps, I blew more air into his mouth and repeated this a couple more times before I stopped. My arms screamed in pain and I sat back on my knees. I was exhausted from both the long swim and from the CPR.

"Come on, Finnick..." I said quietly and I bit my lip. One more time... I thought and I bent over him. Placing my mouth over his, I let out a surprised noise as I felt arms wrap themselves around me. A hand kept my mouth to his and worked its fingers into my hair. Finnick moved underneath me, his lips were soft and gentle against mine. He smiled into the kiss and when I reopened my eyes out of shock, his own sea green pair sparkled with mischief.

I growled and pushed off his chest and out of his arms, my cheeks burning like a wild fire. I was quickly pulled up from the ground, a strong hand around my upper arm. Peeta wrapped the towel around me again and hid me behind him. He looked between me and Finnick for a few moments, his gaze softening on me and sharpening when he looked at Finnick.

Finnick sputtered and coughed a couple times before sitting up, beaming rather obnoxiously.

"You saved my life!" He said, stating the obvious. I only nodded and Peeta rubbed my back in a soothing motion.

"Thank you..." He said once more, looking more sincere this time. He winked at me before climbing to his feet, acting as if nothing had happened. He sauntered away back into the men's room, training clothes in hand.

Wiping some water from the tip of my nose, Peeta only continued to hold me to him.

"Here let's get you warmed up..." He turned us around and we began walking towards the elevator but a brick wall stopped us. Looking up, Cato and Brutus were standing in our way, smug smirks on both their faces. I glanced up at Cato whose eyes flickered between Peeta and I before coming to rest on me. He clenched his jaw and crossed his arms, trying to make himself look bigger.

"That was quick reaction time, _Miss_ _Matson_..." Brutus complimented me and I looked up at him. He gave off this intimidating aura just like Cato did, but his wasn't the same. Cato's was still more youthful and slightly boyish like he really was only playing a game.

A psychological game.

"Thank you. I'm really good in stressful situations..." I fired right back, not even batting an eyelash. I could see Brutus tense at my snarky remark but he slowly smiled at me.

"We'll see how far that gets you in the arena..." Brutus said before turning to leave. He walked away, his back muscles rippling under his tight training uniform. But to my surprise, Cato remained. Brutus continued to stalk away before he stopped mid-step. He looked back over his shoulder, his gaze harsh and cold.

"_Cato_!" He snapped and the boy stood before us a moment before murmuring a few agitated words under his breath before walking off behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, his lips twitched up into a smile for a moment before he turned away and followed behind his brute of a mentor.

* * *

**Chapter 5! Woo hoo! I wish there were a few more reviews though... Tell me what you guys think! Do you like how Finnick and Shade interact? What about Peeta? Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

The next couple of days went by in a flash.

I sharpened my skills in the Training Center. I re-visited the knife throwing station, as well as the bow station. I even returned to the fire starting station and apologized to the instructor. Boy was that embarrassing. That had to be a first in the history of the Hunger Games and I snorted to myself as I thought that.

After a couple hours spent on both my weapons, I decided to go over to the swords. Upon walking up to pick up one of the blades, the flat part of another blade slapped across my hand. I pulled my hand back on instinct and my eyes flashed up in anger towards my attacker.

Cato calmly held my fiery gaze with a smirk upon his face. And in the few moments that we looked at each other, he finally he opened his mouth to say something and what he said made me want to rip his damn head off.

"My swords." I inwardly growled at what he said, I blinked a few times and my face wrinkled up in confusion.

"Your swords? Really?" I asked, my voice full of disbelief and humor. He didn't respond or anything, he just looked at me with that boyish smirk on his face. "I don't see your name on them..." Reaching for the blades once again, I was able to grab a short one and block Cato's second playful swing at me. My eyes flashed up to his and he still continued to smirk.

At the same moment, we withdrew our blades, my jaw set in a firm line, the cause was my annoyance. Lowering his blade, Cato turned his back on me and I only watched him in confusion. He walked into the practice ring and stood casually before looking back to me.

"Are you coming?" He asked suddenly, catching me off guard. I blinked at him before slowly stepping into the ring. He twirled his large blade around in his hands, acting completely normal, like this was an everyday thing.

"Tributes aren't supposed to practice against one another..." I replied coolly. Not enough to look worried, just showing a concern for the rules.

"It's fine! No one really cares! Besides... Are you scared of me or something?" He asked me, flashing his smirk. His blue eyes sparkled with mischief and I could feel my insides boil in rage.

"Scared of you? Please!" I replied, relaxing back and letting one of my hips jut out to the side. I crossed my arms, much like Cato did and smirked right back at him. He only scoffed before dropping into a fighting stance. He smiled evilly before raising his sword and lunging at me.

Out of instinct, I raised the long sword above my head. When our blades met, I stumbled back underneath the force that he had applied. Spinning around, he swung at me again, this time I dodged and side stepped. Cato continued to swing at me, again and again until I started to get tired. He backed off for a moment, his chest rising and falling at a normal speed, unlike my own.

"Well, you know what you're doing so I'll give you that..." He teased and circled behind me. Straightening out, I growled and swung at his head. Cato of course dodged and then laughed at my feeble attempt.

His laughter fueled my anger and I swung again, going on the offense. My rage grew and my form was sloppy. Sure, I was planting a few powerful swings against Cato's blade but he was easily blocking them, acting as if this were child's play for him.

I over swung once and Cato slapped me on the rear with the flat side of his sword, sending me stumbling away. I was able to catch myself before I face planted into the mat.

I rose from my crouched position and stood up straight. My hazel eyes hardened with determination and my lips turned down in a frown. My feet quietly pounded across the mat until our blades clashed again. Cato shoved me back and then swung at my head. I quickly spun out of the way and lunged at Cato again, almost slicing open his side.

Cato's mouth formed into an 'o' and he laughed mockingly before bringing his sword down upon mine. My sword stuck into the mat and I growled as I tried to pull it out. My hands were sweaty and they kept slipping on the handle. My knuckles turned white and with one more sound of frustration, I finally yanked it from its place in the mat.

I let out a quiet yelp as Cato applied such a heavy weight onto his blade, I stumbled back. He smiled creepily before he began forcing the blade back, closer to my throat. I grasped tightly onto his wrist, desperately trying to push him back. He laughed which caused his whole form to shake and his hot breath kissed my sweaty face. Grunting, I finally just stepped away from him. My chest heaved up and down and I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead.

I was done for an I knew it. I couldn't go on anymore.

I glanced up just in time to dodge Cato as he ran at me. He raised his sword above his head, readying for the final blow. Weakly raising the sword above my head, my arms ached. Bringing his sword down, he easily knocked my sword from my hand.

Dropping to the floor, he swept my legs out from under me and I landed hard on the mat. I let out an 'oof!' and when I opened my eyes a sword was pointed at my neck. Cato smirked down upon me and eventually removed the sword tip. He held it in front of him and examined it.

"This was my sword in the arena..." He said without looking at me. Cato continued to eye the blade and I watched as his eyes suddenly lost their steely resolve. His face was void of all emotion and I swear I could see everything playing out in his head. Everything that had happened. All the people he killed, yet they were standing before us. "You can tell see?" He turned the handle over and showed me chips in the black hilt.

"The mutts did this... When they were ripping me apart..." He said quietly and I flinched. I realized that they weren't chips. They were teeth marks.

It must be hard to talk about your own death, or supposed death. He suddenly came blinking back into reality and looked down at me. He held his hand out to me and I looked at it for a moment.

In the arena, I could not stand a chance with him around. Unless we were in an alliance with each other. So, why not start making friends now?

I put my hand in his and grasped onto it tightly while he easily pulled me from the ground. Being slightly over eager, he pulled me a little roughly and I barreled into his chest. It felt like I hit wall and it knocked the breath out of me.

"Easy, Twelve. A little eager are we?" He teased and I blushed.

"Actually, that was your fault..." I grumbled before looking around. People were watching us. I tried pushing off but his firm grip remained in place.

"You aren't to shabby, you know that? Why don't you join in my alliance with the other Careers?" He asked quietly, making sure to keep his voice low. His eyes flashed up to mine for a moment, waiting for my answer.

"I'm sorry. I don't think my friends would want me to be in an alliance with a _Career_..." I but extra emphasis on the Career part, making it sound like some sort of disease. Cato's expectant smirk fell from his lips and was replaced by a concerned scowl.

"Oh come on. You don't want to die so quickly do you?" He asked in a joking manner but I did't feel like he was joking. Pushing off, I felt rather uncomfortable and I scratched the back of my neck. "So whose it gonna be, me or them?" He motioned over to Peeta and Katniss. I laughed quietly before shaking my head.

"I'm gonna have to choose them..." I said quietly before placing the sword back on the stand and walking off. I could feel his hard gaze on my back and I glanced back over my shoulder. He threw his sword back onto the rack angrily which created a lot of noise. He growled loudly before running both his hands through his hair.

Walking around, I felt a bit lost. Cato had me all stirred up and confused. Looking up, I ran into a familiar, almost natural sight. There was a large open floor out in the center of the room. I suppose that it was for wrestling or hand-to-hand combat technique but no one was using it.

"Shay!" Hearing my name, I looked over at the person who said it. Peeta came jogging over, smiling widely. I smiled back and he suddenly embraced me like he hadn't seen me in forever. He saw me looking at the open floor and smiled.

"Why don't you show me some gymnastics? I haven't seen you practice in a long time..." He said, kind of begging for me to do some flips and twists. My cheeks suddenly burned but with more persuasion, I gave in and took off my shoes before I stepped out onto the floor. It slightly gave way underneath me because of the springs beneath my feet.

I started off easy, running across and doing a cartwheel that was connected to a simple front flip but my limps creaked from disuse. It had been a while.

Turning back around, I raced back, doing a flip and then adding a twist. Peeta cheered quietly from the side and when I looked over, Katniss had joined him. She was smiling as she watched me fly through the air. It was kind of odd, seeing her smiling.

I ran to the other corner, doing a double flip and then I rolled forward into a somersault. Rolling up onto my hands, I brought my feet up into a handstand and held it. Taking a deep breath, I lowered my feet to my sides so that my arms were supporting my entire weight.

Going back up into a handstand, I rolled forward and finished off the routine with a triple twist. People cheered and when I looked over, I had quite the crowd. My cheeks heated up and the Careers scowled as they watched me wave to the small crowd.

Maybe I was showing off. Just a little bit.

* * *

The obstacle course towered above me as I looked up.

It looked so ominous and it took a moment for my eyes to take it all in. Taking a small step forward, I placed myself on the starting platform before being over to double knot my shoes before slowly standing and nodding to the instructor.

A loud buzzer suddenly rang out overhead and I ran down the steep beginning slope. With some luck, I was able to keep my feet underneath me and I vaulted over the first hurtle with ease. Right now was one of the moments that I was glad I had speed on my side.

Flying over two more hurtles, I raced up the next incline. A light film of water tumbled down the slope and I almost slipped twice before reaching the top. I raced up to the rope hanging from the next platform and I wrapped my hands around it. Hiking myself up, I began to place my hand over hand. It didn't take me long to reach the top and I easily pulled myself over the ledge. Rolling away from the edge, I made sure to be completely on the platform before standing up. My arms suddenly felt like jelly and I tried to shake them out to get rid of the awkward feeling.

Taking off at a full sprint, my feet barely were able to stay on the slim plank that I had to run across. My eyes looked down for a moment, making my stomach flop. I was so high above the ground and if I fell, I would land in a net but still. It was a long ways down.

I reached the other side and without pausing leaped the gap and reached out to the low hanging bar. Using my momentum, I swung about halfway around while gritting my teeth and planted my feet firmly on top of the bar. Pushing off, I jumped up to the next higher bar and as I reached the final platform, I stopped.

Looking over the edge, a deep pool of water was beneath me and I swallowed before backing up. Without looking back, I pushed off the platform and sailed through the air. I pencil dived down into the water and the liquid foamed around me, leaving me temporarily blind for a moment. The cold suddenly took hold of me, making my lungs tighten in my chest.

Upon resurfacing, my chest rose up and down rapidly. The obstacle course wasn't finished yet.

Taking a deep breath, I dove back beneath the surface and pushed my body through the water with my strong legs. Swimming down deeper, I swam through the small tube, using my hands to propel me off the cushioned walls. As I emerged from the other side, my lungs needed air and I quickly resurfaced. My limbs ached because of the freezing water and as I pulled myself up onto the final platform, my legs shook from exhaustion.

Of course, some of the other tributes had slowed way down by now but I couldn't afford to. Not yet anyway.

I let out a loud cough before jogging towards the rock wall. I was able to climb up about five feet above the ground when my hand slipped. My whole body was still wet from the swim and it didn't agree with the rocks.

Grunting in frustration, I swung up and placed my hand on the next highest up stone. _Almost there..._ I took a deep breath before climbing the last fifteen feet up the wall.

As I hauled myself over the edge, I rolled over onto my back as the buzzer rang.

Smiling up at the ceiling, I knew I must have had a good time seeing as I didn't get stuck on a single obstacle. I just laid on my back for a moment, with my eyes closed.

That was one of the hardest things I had ever done in my life.

Everyone was waiting for me down below and I had to jump back into more water to get down. Smiling weakly, I stood up on shaky legs before walking over to the ledge and simply stepping off it. Falling down into the cold water, I let my body float back to the surface before lazily paddling over to the side.

I was hoisted from the cold water and was engulfed in a huge, fluffy towel which I gratefully accepted and I sputtered a bit. Someone began to rub a towel over my head and hair and I could hear Peeta talking excitedly with Haymitch.

"Alright! I'm dry!" I protested as I pulled the towel away from my head. Peeta just beamed down at me before ruffling my hair. My face flashed across the screen and I held my breath before a number rolled across.

1:27.58.

"Shay! You got the best time!" Peeta said. Wrapping me in a tight hug, I let out a squeak as the air escaped my lungs. Suddenly, Haymitch appeared virtually out of thin air and he laughed.

"Great job, sweetheart!" He grasped me in an awkward hug and kissed the top of my head. I wrinkled up my nose in disgust and he finally let me go after an awkward moment. "You've got the best time so far, sweetie!" We all looked up to the screen again and found that I had beat Cato's time.

By two seconds.

Thinking about the large boy, my eyes slowly darted around the room until I found him. He looked to be fuming and I put a smug smirk on my face.

I was congratulated by the victors and my cheeks hurt from all the smiling. But inside, my stomach churned. I had just painted a target on my back. I was the one who would have to die first. Or befriend first.

Depends on how you look at it.

Finnick was the last one to approach me. Sauntering up, he smiled at Haymitch before turning to look at me. He held out his hand and I was reluctant for a moment. I hadn't forgotten our moment in the pool.

For him stealing my first kiss. Bastard. I wanted it to be special!

Haymitch nudged me painfully in the side and I growled at him before placing my hand in his.

"Congratulations, Shay-Shay. I can't wait to see how things will go in the arena..." He let go of my hand before giving head nods to the other two victors and leaving. He flashed his toothy grin at me before winking once again.

My heart skipped a beat and I growled at my own stupid behavior. Dumb me. Dumb Finnick. Dumb everyone.

Earning another ruffling to my hair from Haymitch, I was led away. The Private Training Session was later this afternoon and the obstacle course counted for part of your score.

With being in the lead for the obstacle course time, I at least scored a solid seven with just that.

Upon walking into my private lesson, the Gamekeepers seemed rather pleased with me being there. They actually sat down in their chairs, picked up their drinks and watched.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the swords station. I swung the different blades around for a bit, killing the artificial dummies that stood as my opponents. I fired some arrows at targets, some even going as far as to move. Then I reached for the knives, killing all the targets as if they were real people. I showed them my agility and speed by vaulting over a few hurtles.

Glancing around the room, I noticed the same padded floor and cautiously walked over to it. When I stepped onto the floor, it dipped underneath my footing. Smiling widely, I stretched my arms above my head and then I took off my boots. The Gamekeepers looked at me like I was crazu but I just proceeded with my plan.

I sprinted across the wobbly floor and as I neared the other corner, pushed off the ground and twisted around in the air. I landed with a solid thud before proceeding to do the rest of my routeen. After numerous cartwheels and splits, more flips, I stopped and froze on point. I was met by a round of applause and I bowed before leaving.

Well, I hope that went well.


	7. Chapter 7

"Shade Matson. District 12. Ten." I scored a 10. A large smile pulled at my lips. I did it.

That score was pretty good compared to all the other Tributes. At the moment, I was near the top of my board, well tied anyway. At the top of the Victor's board: Katniss and Peeta.

Both with 12.

Everyone in the room cheered when I received my 10, Kaz even managed to snag a 6.

"Great job, sweetheart." I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to find Haymitch smiling down at me. He was genuinely proud of me and I couldn't help but smile back at him..

How Kaz got a 6 , I'll never no. Because, honestly. That kid is about as useful as a sack of potatoes, which is, now that I think about it, too useful to be an adjective for Kaz.

I wasn't going to condemn him for that though. He was another human being. Someone who deserved to live. And that was why I would be dragging him along with me in the arena. Haymitch didn't know it. Peeta and Katniss didn't know. Kaz sure as hell didn't know.

But we didn't cheer for the 12s. The couple didn't do anything spectacular. They just pissed off the Capitol. Royally.

Cato received a 10 as well. Along with Clove and Marvel. Glimmer only received a 9. I bet she wad screaming and pulling her hair out downstairs. I smirked and laughed quietly before standing up from my spot on the couch.

Walking up the stairs to the small kitchen, my feet were noiseless on the marble flooring. I had opted to go barefoot anywhere my prep team would allow. If I was going to die in a couple days, I wanted to be me for the short while I had left. And apparently I wanted to be barefoot.

Everyone was quiet as we watched everything else unfold on the large television.

I plucked a few things from the never ending supply of food on the table. Taking a bowl, I picked through the odd yet tasty fruits. Haymitch told me that this one pink fruit was called watermelon. It was amazing! There was an odd green fruit that tasted bitter but it was still juicy. I also found this weird blue melon that tasted like sweet candy except it was a fruit.

Let's just say, my taste buds were confused.

After filling the rather large glass bowl all the way to the rim, I padded back down the stairs and went to plop down on the couch but misjudged the distance. Stumbling a bit, I fell on my rear and against Peeta's chest. He smiled and laughed but caught me easily.

Leaning back, I relaxed. Peeta's chest was warm and strong behind me, and for a short while, I felt at home.

At home with Peeta. He put his arm around my shoulders and rubbed it in an affectionate way. I would miss this in the arena. I would miss Peeta. I would miss Katniss. Kaz. Cinna. Hell, maybe even Haymitch.

"Can... Can I go outside?" I whispered to Peeta. He only looked over at me a slight smile on his face.

"You can go up to the roof..." He went onto explain that they had a garden up there and you could go relax and also sit by a small pond that had fish in it. It sounded very appealing to me. I needed to breath fresh air for the sake of my sanity.

"I'm going to go check it out!" I pushed myself up from the couch, bowl of fruit still in hand.

"Do you want me to come with?" He sat up from the couch. His blue eyes flashed with concern. I wrinkled up my nose in thought before shaking my head.

"I just need to be alone for awhile..." I said quietly before standing and walking towards the elevator. Pushing the up button, the elevator soon arrived and I stepped inside. Pressing the button with a tree on it, I soon found the sliding doors opening to the night sky. A warm breeze hit my face and I smiled slightly.

I was already happy. It was just nice to have fresh air. I could breath without someone jabbing and poking at me the entire time. I didn't have someone breathing down my back.

Stepping out into the night air, I padded along with my bare feet. Yeah, that's right. I was bare foot still.

The various types of exotic trees rustled in the gentle wind and for a minute, I let my pony tail just blow in it. The warm breeze also carried with it the smell of various types of flowers and blossoming trees. It was wonderful.

The garden was sectioned off into different parts. Probably due to the fact that, because of all the different types of trees and other plants, they had to be in controlled environments. Strolling through the trees, there even seemed to be some birds and other animals in the trees, softly singing their melodious songs.

I could also faintly hear the trickling of water nearby and figured that was where the little stream and pond that Peeta mentioned. Popping another piece of crazy fruit into my mouth, I began to pad through the garden cubicles. As I was walking through the trees, I caught sight of another person in the trees. I couldn't quite make out their face but I could tell that they had seen me. I continued on before I wove in between the gardens and reached the pond. Finding the little stream, I found that the water was quietly trickling down into another stream. Sitting down on the grass, I peered into the water and watched as a couple colorful fish swam by.

I put the glass bowl on the grass before me, picking through the various types of fruit. Taking a few seeds from inside the watermelon, I tossed them into the water. With delight, I watched as the little fish swam to the surface to grab the little seeds.

Just sitting quietly in the warm night air, I let my eyes slide closed before sighing through my nose. The interviews were still tonight. For some reason, the Capitol always seemed to get dark so quickly. I wasn't complaining though. I felt safe in the dark. No one could see me coming.

After a few minutes of sitting quietly, I decided that I should do something that I needed to relax. Taking one last piece of fruit into my mouth, my cheek stuck out like a chipmunk. Throwing my legs over my shoulder, it resulted in a roll and I landed on my feet. Standing up, I didn't even take a step back into the stone flooring, I arched my back and bent over backwards, resulting in a relaxed back walkover. Repeating the action again, I came to land with my feet on the cool tiles. Then, stretching my spine, I went down into a bridge and was basically going to do another back walkover but stopped, resulting in a simple handstand.

I liked the way my body pulled against itself, making my abs stretch and flex. It felt so good. It was one of the most wonderful feeling in the world. Taking a deep breath, I held the stance, pulling my concentration together.

Alright, here comes the kicker. I had been trying this trick for what felt like forever. I've only been able to do it once or twice in my entire life.

Slowly lowering my legs, I was basically doing a mid-air splits. I was stable enough. Very slowly, I lifted my left hand off the ground, my weaker hand, and brought it up to grab a hold of my left leg. With a smug and triumphant smile, I beamed at myself. Letting go of my leg, I reached back over into the bowl of fruit before popping a piece of the bitter green fruit into my mouth.

Taking another deep breath, I carefully chewed the savory fruit, still balanced on one hand with my eyes closed.

"Are you part of the circus or something?" My eyes snapped up upon hearing the voice. Shifting my gaze from my hand on the ground, I looked at the pair of legs that had entered my line of vision. They were dressed in a pair of shorts and they flexed as he stood there. My eyes widened and when I realized who it was and I lost my sense of concentration.

In a flailing mess of arms and legs, I fell to the side with a yelp. Something crunched in my hip when it smashed against the side on the tiles. It sounded worse then it actually was so there wasn't any big damage done. Lying on my side for a moment, I grimaced and rubbed my hip before slowly sitting up.

"No." I growled all the while glaring at Cato. He simply smirked down at me, apparently finding it funny that I had fallen and he had caused me to lose my concentration.

"Where'd you learn to do that then? Did they start up an Academy in 12?" He asked once again and I stood up from the ground, dusting my pants off. I just looked back at Cato before deciding that I could tell him.

"No." I grumbled before going back to a normal handstand. Cato just tilted his head, looking at me sideways. "My Aunt Sara taught me..."

Cato walked over to me before carefully bending down and picking up one of the pieces of fruit from my bowl. I narrowed my eyes slightly but still remained quiet. "So, how exactly did you score a 10?" He asked suddenly, popping another piece of fruit into his mouth.

I didn't want to talk about it. _Evacuate. Evacuate. Evacuate._ I muttered over and over in my head. The sirens had started going on and my heart rate was picking up. _Just act calm. Put up the cool demeanor. Lie if necessary._ It was for my own good. I glanced up at him while holding the handstand before I began moving away from him, walking on my hands.

"Hey, I said how did you score a 10?!"

"Like hell I'm going to tell you!" I was surprised when my voice didn't shake. I continued to walk away but I suddenly felt a foot nudge my abdomen, causing my balance to falter. With another yelp, I fell forward but was able to roll up onto the balls of my feet, still crouching low. Yet as I turned around to face him, his eyes flashed dangerously. Cato began approaching me and I remembered that to keep space between us. He was a killer.

So I began to back up, my eyes leaving him. I couldn't help but swallow nervously as my back pressed against a tree. Cato now continued to walk towards me, a small smirk playing on his lips. His eyes were still blazing.

"Alright, Twelve..." He breathed, his hot breath now fanning across my face. We were impossibly close, his face right across from my own. "I'm done asking nicely..." His hands came up on either side of my head, blocking my escape. I swallowed. "How. Did. You. Get. A. _Ten_?"

"If you're trying to scare me, it's not working..." I crossed my arms over my chest, meeting his gaze calmly. Apparently, he must of liked that or something. He smirked.

"Oh, little girl..." He shook his head in disbelief before laughing. "If I wanted you to be scared..." He leaned down to get closer to my ear and I didn't move. "You'd know it." He pulled back slightly to gauge my reaction. I simply raised my eyebrows at him but inside I was shaking. I don't how I was so calm on the outside but I tell you, I'd never been more proud of myself.

"But you don't want it to be a _surprise_?" I fluttered my eyelashes a bit, all the while smiling. The smirk from Cato's face fell. He opened his mouth to say something but I stopped him by raising my hands. "Hold on! I have a question for you: Why did _you_ want me in _your_ Career pack?"

"You got a fucking 10! You must be damn good at _something_!" He angrily raked a hand through his hair. Taking this opportunity, I stepped under his other arm which was still trying to pin me against the tree. I went back to my bowl of fruit and hastily picked it up, dropping another piece into my mouth.

"But..." I padded away before talking back over my shoulder to him. "You asked me before the scores were released!" I pointed out and for a second I could have sworn I saw Cato's face pale slightly. It was a trick of the moonlight.

Walking into one of the separate garden cubicles, I entered the tropical maze of vines and other wild plants. Still holding the bowl in my hand, I wove between the deep green vines.

"So, normally for a Career..." Cato was somewhere in the vines with me. I felt that odd prickle in my stomach again. I was being the hunted. "We choose who our kills are going to be once we reach the arena..." It was my own turn for my cheeks to pale. Here comes the threatening. To try and calm my nerves, I ate another piece of watermelon. "Working our way up the Districts..." I could hear him coming closer but I didn't know where he was at. This made my heart rate pick up again. "We choose our personal favorites..." He had to be directly behind me now. Whipping around, I was confused when he wasn't there. "And do you want to know what?" His voice was once again behind me but when I turned, he wasn't there. "You're my personal favorite..." I almost screamed but I bit my lip to silence myself. He had to have been right behind me. His words caused me to shiver and he must have seen the small sign of weakness because a laugh escaped his throat. "And naturally, that would mean that I killed you first. Or, more in your case, _torture_..." I could feel the heat from his body behind me. His deep breathes also caused my skin to tingle. "But I think I can make you an exception. You'll never know when I'm coming after you. It will only be at the time that you're least expecting it..." I felt something dragging across the flesh of my neck and I flinched. Reaching up, I grabbed a hold of whatever it was and found it to be a hand. A large hand.

Cato had been pretending to slowly slice my throat open with his finger. "Because I can see just how much you love _surprises_..."

Immediately spinning around, I backed away from his looming form. He towered over me. I was at a good height of 5' 10" and his shadow still covered me. Fear had to have been evident in my hazel eyes. I began backing away before turning and running through the vines that blocked my path.

I kept glancing over my shoulder, fearing that Cato would be right behind me. And he was. But then, with fear comes bravery and mine came at the stupidest time. I had to lie. I had to put up the confident wall that had been in place whenever I was around the other Tributes. It was time for it to go back up.

My feet pounded on the flooring and I was just about to reach the elevator when I was pressed up against the wall. Cato had his hands on me, his large arms pinning my shoulders against the stone wall behind me. With a gasp, the bowl fell from my hands, shattering around both of our feet.

"I could kill you right now and no one would know..." He mused to himself, his chest heaving up and down in what I assumed was anger. Or excitement. My eyes widened. The walls around me were being torn down. I was becoming me again. Not the overly confident, kiss-my-ass me. No, I was normal Shade. I only had one option left.

"PEET-" My voice was cut off as a hand closed over my mouth, effectively silencing my scream for help.

"Shhh..." He warned me, his hand still over my mouth. A smirk pulled at his lips. He was enjoying this. His own blue eyes were sparkling with odd emotions. Desire. Want. Lust. "You don't have anything to be afraid of..." His hand slowly lowered from my mouth. Instead, he grasped my chin between his thumb and index finger. "I'm not going to kill you tonight..." His index finger then began to softly trace along my jaw. He laughed to himself, his finger dragging over my lips. "I want all of Panem to see it."

Bending his head down, he pressed his lips to my cheek before dragging them away at an agonizingly slow pace, almost like he was making a promise. One that neither he nor I would forget.

"I'll see you at the interviews tonight." He stepped back, taking his own body heat with him. I felt like I could breath again. "Look pretty for me..." He smirked before turning and stepping into the waiting elevator.

"Oh and Shade?" I looked up at him who was holding the elevator door open.

"Will you join my alliance?"

"Go. To. Hell." He chuckled at my sinister remark but I felt my hazel eyes blazing.

"Alright. I'll save a seat for you..." He replied and I flinched slightly at his words. He had caught me on that one. He disappeared once again, leaving me a broken mess just like the glass bowl at my feet.

I've never been more scared in my life. I couldn't do this anymore. I wanted to go home. I didn't want to die. I didn't like how Cato was making me feel.

* * *

"Are you ready for this, sweetheart?" I looked up at Haymitch and nervously bit my lip. My mentor only grumbled and I stopped, sensing his implications. I kind of had a habit of biting my lip when I was nervous and right now, my lips were perfectly coated in a shiny gloss. And God knows Octavia would pull my hair if she saw me doing that and messing it up.

I wasn't usually one to be nervous but I was now. Especially after what happened on the rooftop with Cato. I couldn't find it in myself to smile and instead shook my head, my stomach doing flip flops.

"No, I'm not Haymitch..." I admitted and it was odd when I felt him give me a hug. He just held me there for a few minutes.

Haymitch and I surprisingly had a past together. It was an odd past though. More of a love-mostly-hate relationship.

_"Hello?" I answered the phone._

_"Yeah, is Matson Meats still open?" I sighed into the phone._

_"Matson Meats is always open..." I grumbled while moping a hand over my face. Looking at the clock on the wall, I sighed. I was almost three o' clock in the morning and this idiot was ordering meat._

_Mom and Dad always told me to get up and cut the meat. I was the youngest so it was my job to get up and deal with it. Reaching over onto the counter, I picked up the order pad._

_"What would you like in your order?" I groaned. Haymitch almost screamed into the phone and I had to hold it away from my ear so that I didn't go deaf. "Alright,I'll be right over with your meat. Have a nice day. Goodbye..." I hung the phone up before I turned to the large walk in freezer and closed my eyes in frustration. Haymitch's shit was getting old._

_Half asleep, I tied my hair back into a pony tail and changed into my normal work clothes. Tying the apron around my waist, I set to work after entering the freezer and choosing the bits and pieces that Haymitch wanted. After the meat was cut, I walked all the way to his house in Victor's Village where he lived, alone._

It was a long walk, probably three miles from our store, considering that we didn't have a car and our meat truck was only used for large deliveries.

When I reached his house, I was never happy to see him.

_I knocked loudly on his door and he opened it, extremely drunk. I could smell it all over his breath._

_"Come on in, sweet cheeks .." He said before stepping to the side and letting inside. After crossing the threshold, he slammed the door shut behind me, startling my tired brain. He sat down on the couch in his extravagant living room, booze bottle in hand, and began watching TV. He seemed uninterested in me being there so I just stood awkwardly in his living room with an armful of frozen meat. About to open my mouth and say something, I suddenly decided against it and shut my mouth. I found the kitchen myself._

_Placing the meat into the refrigerator, I was about ready to walk through the door when he stopped me._

_"Have you ever had to kill someone, sweetheart?" He asked and I froze._

_"No..."_ It was a common question when it came to Haymitch. I had delivered to his house multiple times and he always asked me. I only think he repeated it because he was too drunk to remember he asked_._

But, after a few trips to his house, I stayed with him. He would talk about the most random of things and he was actually funny, except his humor was dark.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to welcome the lovely Shade Matson to the stage!" Caesar Flickermen called from behind the curtain. Haymitch let me go and we both looked in the direction of the voice.

"Just relax and be yourself. Be confident. I know you are. They'll eat it up." He reassured me before nudging me out onto the stage. I passed by Peeta who gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before wishing me good luck. I could feel my cheeks heat up immensely and I tried to cover them as I walked on stage.

My moderately high heels clicked as I walked towards the stage.

The dark green dress flowed behind me and it lightly dragged on the ground. It fell elegantly over my left shoulder and there was a slit up to my thigh, exposing my left leg. The material was extremely soft and laid gently against my tan skin. My hair was braided before it was wrapped around into a bun. My face had little makeup but my eyes were darkened with some dark eye shadow.

When I appeared from behind the curtain, the crowd erupted in cheers. I shyly smiled while waving to all the people who were attending the interviews.

"Oh, here she comes!" Caesar stood up from his seat and he stepped forward. He held his hand out to me and I placed my hand in his. "Welcome, welcome!" He lead me over to the seat and we both sat down. The crowd soon grew quiet and I smoothed out my dress.

"So Shay, I can call you Shay right?" He asked and flashed a dazzling smile. The crowd laughed again and I thought he was ridiculous. Everyone in the Capitol was ridiculous.

"Yes, Shay is fine. Just don't call me Shay-Shay, Caesar!"

"Why not?"

"It's a rather horrid name, don't you think?" The crowd laughed when I laughed. This wasn't so bad I guess.

"Well, I'm sure someone calls you it! A cute name for a cute girl...?"

"Well... Only Peeta calls me Shay-Shay. Everyone else tries but fails. You all know Finnick? Finnick Odair?" The crowd erupted and cheered wildly when I mentioned the District 4 God. I winced slightly from all the noise and only looked back to Caesar.

"Who doesn't know Finnick?" He teased and I laughed again.

"He keeps trying to make the name catch on, Shay-Shay..." I scrunched up my nose and shook my head. "And, if it wasn't for Haymitch I probably would have punched him by now!" The crowd laughed again and cheered. Caesar even joined in on the laughing and I tried leaning back but shifted uneasily in my seat as I messed with my dress.

"Something wrong, Shay?" He asked and I only smiled at him.

"I'm not used to being so lady-like all the time!" I complained as I straightened out my dress again. "It feels weird not wearing pants...!" I whispered to him, partially hiding my mouth with my hand.

Everyone laughed again. I had the entire continent of Panem in the palm of my hand right now. I don't know what everyone was complaining about. This was easy. I wasn't even nervous.

"You're uncomfortable in your dress? Well, what did you do before the Games?"

"My family owned a butcher shop. Matson. Matson Meats was its name..."

"A butcher shop! Like with dead meat?"

"Well, naturally. It would be rather hard trying to chase around a cow with a knife, trying to harvest meat, wouldn't it?" I winced slightly at the loudness that came with the roar of the crowd. I laughed myself before scratching my neck. Once the laughter died down, Flickermen continued.

"Oh, you are delightful! But it is rather unfortunate that you had to come this year... Peeta spoke so highly of you at last year's Games!"

"Yeah, it is kind of... unfortunate. He's my best friend, Ceasar. And the thing is, I don't know what to do..."

"What exactly will you do?"

"I'm not sure. I'll try to stay with him as long as possible or to be the farthest away from him. I am a danger to him myself. If I had to choose anyone to win, I would want him to win with Katniss. So they can be together..." I tried smiling again and the crowd 'awe'd and released a sorrowful sigh. A tear fell down my cheek and the crowd awed once more. I hastily wiped it away and smiled again.

"Oh, I can't keep that up! Cinna will kill me before the Games even start!" I joked and wiped any tear residue from my eyes. A bell rang out behind the curtain, signalling that my time was up.

"Oh! What a shame! I had so much fun speaking to you, Shade!" Standing from his chair, he took my hand in his and raised it up into the air. My green dress swirled around me and I smiled brilliantly into the camera.

"Goodbye, Caesar!" I chimed in cheerfully before blowing a kiss to the cameras and waving to the audience.

When I walked off stage, I felt as though my legs were going to collapse. Alright, so maybe that was more stressful than I believed. My head swirled and I reached out for something to grasp onto and my hand found something solid. I grasped onto it tightly and steadied myself on it.

Honest to god, I swore that it was the wall so I leaned up against it.

"Easy, Twelve. No need to get excited..." The smooth voice rang out and my eyes snapped open. My vision swam for a moment but when it all focused, Cato's face was all I saw. My face heated up instantly and when I looked down, I noticed I was in his arms and he was what I was steadied upon. He was dressed in a metallic silver suit, very snazzy looking, I had to agree.

"You did what I told you." He smiled slightly and I inwardly grimaced. He needed to get get away from me.

"What do you mean?"

"Look pretty for me..." He smirked, taking a hold of the flowing green fabric that fell around my body. A smug smirk pulled at his lips and I had the sudden urge to hit him. Alright, here came the brave Shade.

Pushing out of his arms, I grew angry and was about to slap him. With my arm poised, I was ready to strike him but he held up his hands in defeat, as if sensing my tension. He still had that signature smirk on his face and I looked at him for a moment before huffing and storming off, leaving a grinning Cato in my wake.

God, I hated him. And that hate would only continue to grow.

* * *

"Come on!" Haymitch yelled at me.

I huffed and hiked up the fluffy yellow dress before running down the hall after my mentor. If we didn't hurry we were going to be late for the Victors' and Tributes' ball. It was the day after the interviews.

My hair was braided into a different style resembling a dark golden blossom. The dress was a bright yellow and was a halter top. There was a belt of rhinestones around my slim waist and the dress flared out around from the waistline. A silver wolf pendant was suspended on a braided strand of gold silk, acting as a choker necklace. Haymitch had personally delivered the new necklace. When he gave it to me, I asked him why the sudden change.

He said I would understand later.

I got about four steps before I grumbled and nearly fell from my tall silver heels. I dashed down the hall after Haymitch, my dress swooshing with every step I took. I raced passed him and was surprised he didn't actually smell like alcohol at the moment. He was actually sober and dressed in a sharp suit.

Stopping outside a door, I banged on it loudly.

"PEETA! PEETA, WHE ARE GOING TO BE LATE!" I shrieked and Haymitch groaned and covered his ears. "PEETA! PEE-" He opened the door mid-sentence and I accidentally smacked him in the face. My palm slapped against his forehead, making a loud smacking noise. He groaned before stepping back.

My mouth formed an 'o' and Peeta rubbed his now red forehead. I started laughing quietly and he looked at me sternly for a few moments before I sobered. My lips threatened to turn back into a smile but I was fighting it valiantly.

"I'm sorry...?" I said innocently and his face was void of all emotion.

Finally, a grin broke across his face and he began laughing quietly. I smiled as I looked him up and down, he was dress in a dark grey tux with bright yellow accents. A cute yellow bow tie was also tied snugly around his neck.

Apparently, it was a new rule that the Victors had to escort the Tributes to the ball and Peeta was my escort. Katniss was to escort Kaz, so he was her problem for the night.

"Are we ready to go?" Peeta asked me as he stepped from his room and shut the door behind him. He smoothed back his hair, making sure that it was perfect one last time. Straightening out his jacket, he turned to me and smiled. Suddenly offering me his arm, I smiled and took it, tucking my hand into the crook of his arm. Haymitch finally caught up to us and we followed him outside.

* * *

As we stepped out of the car, I was blinded by flashing lights and people were screaming my name, along with Peeta's. I winced and covered my face slightly but tried to smile when I could.

I held onto Peeta's arm tightly, never letting go. We somehow managed to make it inside the building and I let out an audible sigh. I swayed slightly and Peeta caught me and steadied me.

"Well that was only a little dizzying..." I complained and then we proceeded up the large staircase. When we reached the top, we were met by a wide room filled with tables and chairs for eating. Many of the other Tributes and Victors had already arrived and had taken their seats. We were soon joined by Katniss and Kaz. She was dressed in a stunning orange dress which appeared to be like fire once again. Kaz had a sharp black suit on with orange accents, very similar to Peeta's but he didn't wear it as well as the baker's son.

We sat down and I smoothed out my dress. There were a few other seats open at our table and I watched as Haymitch quietly joined us. A band eventually rolled out and played a quiet tune, dissolving all the silence that had once existed.

And then there was Finnick.

He came sauntering up to us with a younger girl on his arm who I guessed to be the female tribute from his district. She looked as though she was about to have a stroke because she got to be escorted by the District 4 God. She's so lucky! Not.

But now that I think about it, I guess I would have been too if it weren't for the fact that I wanted to strangle him in his sleep.

For kissing me.

Well I was dumb. I should have seen it coming. I mean with his flirty and obnoxious attitude towards me, I should have been able to see the warning signs. But, it also wasn't my fault due to the fact that I had never dated a guy before.

As he approached our table, he noticed me watching him. Smirking, he exchanged a wink with me before carefully sitting down. The young girl fidgeted in her seat, teaming with joy that she got to have supper with Finnick. I rolled my eyes.

After we were served our meal, which I might add was delicious, they cleared our plates away and moved some of the tables away to make room for a dance floor.

I grumbled under my breath and resisted the urge to run my hands through my hair out of nerves. Biting my lip, I glanced around. My mind hardly had anytime to process before I felt someone nudge me in the side.

"Don't bite your lip..." Peeta whispered quietly and I stopped.

I was going to reach up and touch my hair but then thought better of it. I wanted to scratch my nose but couldn't because I didn't want to smear my make-up. I wanted to shift in my seat but couldn't because I didn't want to wrinkle my dress.

My hands just twitched in midair for a few moments before I sighed and placed them in my lap. I glanced around and my foot began bobbing up and down without me realizing it.

I just couldn't do anything and it was driving me crazy!

I began grumbling under my breath and finally just gave up and laid my head on the table. Well, I didn't exactly _lay_ it down on the table. It was kind of more of a slam.

It shook all the crystalized glasses and I heard Haymitch scold me quietly when his scotch sloshed around.

"Miss, your drink...?" I groaned and looked up from my self-loathing position. A waiter stood above me, balancing a tray in his hand. On it, a single colorful drink sat and I looked at it for a moment. I looked back at him incredulously and he only placed the drink on the table before me. I only looked at it for a moment, my face wrinkling in confusion. He began to walk away but I quickly grabbed his arm before he got out of reach.

"Who bought this for me?" I whispered quietly and his eyes quickly darted across the table. I followed his gaze and found Finnick, looking at me over the rim of his own glass and he was smirking into his drink. Releasing my hold on the man, he left immediately and glanced back a couple times like I would hunt him down and kill him if he didn't get away fast enough.

I wrapped my hands around the drink before looking back at Finnick. Smirking myself, I raised the glass signaling a toast and threw it back. The liquid burned my throat and the oddly familiar taste of alcohol stung my taste buds.

When I was younger, I had an… incident with booze. My mom, being the considerate person she was, had filled my father's canteen with whiskey. We had a large order to fill and we were going to be in the shop all day and she didn't like him to be so stressed. She said it was bad for his heart. Now, being the ever-thirsty teenager that I was I drank, what I believed at the time was juice, and may have gotten a bit tipsy.

And when I say tipsy, I mean plastered.

I wrinkled up my nose as it burned before I placed the glass back on the table. My head swam suddenly and I leaned back in my chair. Shutting my eyes for a moment, I tried to organize my thoughts as best as I could. A wave if nausea rose in my chest but I pursed my lips as I tried to force it back down. Capitol liquor was strong.

"That was delightful..." I grumbled before raising up my hand so that it was eyelevel. A weird tingling feeling ran through my fingers as I clenched my hand together.

Being distracted, I looked up upon feeling a hand on my arm. Peeta was looking down at me, worry evident on his features. I lazily smiled up at him.

"Come on! I want you to meet someone..." He pulled me up from my chair and I swayed as the room spun. I stumbled into Peeta before I laughed and regained my balance by bracing my hands on his shoulders.

"You're drunk!" He growled, his face scrunching up in anger.

"I'm not drunk! Not yet anyway..." I slurred but sobered immediately and took hold of Peeta's arm. We wove in and out of the various round tables, people greeting Peeta but leaving me in his shadow.

Looking around, I heard a loud roar of laughter come from a certain table. The Careers all sat around it, and it seems someone had said something funny. I only frowned but apparently Clove could feel my eyes on their table. She glanced up and looked across the table. She said something but I couldn't read her lips and the boy with the spiky blonde hair turned in our direction.

I held his blue eyes calmly and his face sobered. I only offered him a polite head nod and a small smile. Of course, he shocked me when he returned the head nod, except instead of a smile he gave me a lazy smirk.

I turned back and Peeta led me over to a man dressed in a sharp looking suit. In his hand, he held a crystal glass and he was chatting with a few other Capitol people.

"Mr. Heavensbee?" Peeta asked politely. The man turned to us then and when he noticed who was standing before him, he smiled brightly. He stopped talking to the men around him who quickly left, much to my relief.

"Peeta! Oh, it's so nice to see you again!" He smiled widely upon recognizing my friend and shook his hand. When his arm extended and his sleeve drew back, he revealed a gaudy looking watch. I swear for a moment, in the low light of the room, a Mockingjay flashed across the face of the clock. But when I blinked, it was gone.

"And this is Miss Shade! A pleasure to meet you! Oh, a very talented girl you are! You were very nice to watch. Not to mention, you are rather easy on the eyes!" He looked down at my canary yellow dress. I simply smiled and thanked him quietly. He was a very cheerful man. Exactly the opposite of what I had suspected of any Gamemaker.

We talked for a couple of moments until Peeta was pulled away to speak with Katniss about last year's Games. I was left alone with Mr. Heavensbee.

It was awkward.

"So, do you have any ideas about the arena this year?" I asked quietly and he took a sip from his dark colored drink. He smiled and lowered his glass.

"Now, no matter how much I like you, I can't tell you about the arena..." He lowered his voice and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Can't blame a girl for trying, right?" I said and it was his turn to shrug.

"Well, I can give you one small detail..." He raised his hand up, beckoning a waiter over.

"'May I have a cool glass of _water_...?" He asked the waiter and I narrowed my eyes. He didn't even give me a hint. What the hell?

When the waiter returned, he balanced the glass of water on his tray and handed it to me. I told him thank you before taking a sip. It was really refreshing and cold but other than that it wasn't special. And then it dawned on me. I narrowed my eyes but smiled as I took another sip of water.

"Oh, I see..." I said quietly as I swirled the water in the glass around. He only chuckled and took another sip of his own drink.

I could feel someone approaching from behind and I was glad Peeta had returned for me. It was creepy knowing that this man held my life in his palms and I didn't entirely trust him.

All the alcohol seemed to seep from my system immediately at that thought. I might die soon. Glancing over my shoulder, I meant to smile at Peeta but my face fell in disappointment. It wasn't Peeta.

Cato sauntered over to us and stood beside me, his height towering over my form. The top of my head was only up to his eyes but that was only because I had heels on.

I immediately tensed when I felt him place his hand on my lower back, his fingers barely touching the yellow fabric that rested there. It was like he war burning a hole through my dress with just his touch.

"I apologize greatly, Mr. Heavensbee but I'm afraid I must steal Shade from you, if you don't mind?" Cato asked politely. Almost too politely.

His voice was softened, as if he was kissing up to the Head Gamemaker. And when I mean kissing up, I mean kissing ass. Hardcore.

"Oh, by all means go ahead Mr. Hadley! This young lady looks like she could use a night of fun!" _Before she dies..._ I thought darkly to myself. I opened my mouth to interject but I was forced away from the harsh grip on my side.

"No need to suck up now, do we?" Cato said lowly as he continued to pull me along. When I saw where we were going though, I stopped short. I rolled my eyes and my feet refused to move any further.

"I was not sucking up!" I protested but now that I thought about it, was that the reason why Peeta had actually taken me over there?

Cato only pursed his lips before nodding his head sarcastically, trying to pull me along. He moved his grip from my hip to my wrist but I still wouldn't budge.

With one harsh yank, I stumbled out onto the dance floor.

Cato easily pulled me to his chest and placed his hand on the small of my back. Couples spun around us, their dresses blurring together into one whole moving sea of color that made my head spin.

"I don't think that this is such a good idea!" I said and tried stepping away but he held me to him.

"Oh, come on! I don't think that Lover Boy will be mad if I have one dance with you..." Cato said and he began to turn us.

"Maybe not Peeta but I think Finnick might..." I grumbled under my breath and only looked around the room.

Peeta and Katniss were speaking to the Capitol people, or I guess they could be sponsors. Effie was nowhere to be seen. Haymitch was passed out on the table. Kaz was glumly looking around the room.

I found the Victor I had mentioned before across the room, he was talking to a woman but kept glancing over at us. He did not look pleased.

"Besides, I just think you're scared of me again..." Cato taunted into my ear. His breath was warm and brushed away the few strands of hair that had escaped from the braid. Flashbacks from the night on the rooftop came rushing back and my heart rate picked up.

Time to pull out the confidence again. There was no time for pussy Shade. Turning to him, my eyes only narrowed out of anger. He was challenging me. Grumbling I placed my hand on his shoulder and he took my other hand in his.

"I'll never be scared of you..." I hissed back but it only caused him to laugh at me before he took the lead and began to turn us in a small circle.

I tried catching Peeta's gaze, or rather anyone at this moment. I just needed help escaping.

"You don't need to be so tense!" Cato said quietly as he rubbed my back. I tensed once again under his hand and he smirked down at me. Looking up, my eyes shot to his, even though they didn't want to.

His eyes: they were exceptionally blue. They weren't a normal blue. They were like the blue in the sky right after the sun went down: twilight blue.

We swayed back and forth to the slow rhythm of the music, silence otherwise surrounding us. Cato then spun us around and I was able to catch a glimpse at the Career table.

Clove and Glimmer were both glaring at me. Marvel was busy talking to Gloss, and they were laughing rather loudly.

"So, you and Glimmer were pretty cozy last year in the Games…" I mentioned after a while and I could feel daggers being plunged into my back just from her glares.

"No. She just thinks that if she kisses up to the right person, she has a chance of winning the Games... This year, it's poor Marvel…" He explained and I nodded in understanding. We danced for a few seconds in silence before an idea startled pulling at the back of my mind.

"Why do you insist on pestering me like this?" I asked him quietly and he noticed where I was looking. He turned us so he could see and his face darkened considerably. "Putting me through all this embarrassing shit?"

"Because I want you to be in my alliance..." He said lowly, making sure no one heard him as we continued to sway about.

"I already told you no!" I hissed and he raised his eyebrows at my sudden anger.

"We'll just see how much you'll miss me in the arena. When you don't have any food or water. And as you're dying from dehydration, the last word you ever say will ever be... _Cato_… And you'll have wished that you chose me…" He whispered into my ear again.

A shiver ran up and down my spine and I clenched my jaw. He chuckled quietly before the music stopped and with a final twirl he dipped me while I let out a squeal of terror.

But being supported by his arms, I was shocked to know that I could balance on one foot in high heels and Cato smirked down at me.

Standing up, I released the breath I was holding. I straightened out my dress before smoothing out my hair.

"Ready for another round, Twelve?" He asked and we began dancing again before I could even protest his actions.

We had been dancing for a couple of minutes before a hand tapped on Cato's shoulder. The blonde tribute turned and revealed an expectant looking Peeta.

"Shay? I believe that you saved a dance for me?" He said calmly and Cato looked back to me. Before I knew what he was doing, his face was closer to mine and then his lips were on my cheek. The kiss lasted longer than necessary and when he pulled away my skin burned.

I batted my eyelashes, trying to regain my composure before I realized Cato was smirking.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Twelve..." He smiled and winked at me before turning and walking back to the Careers' table.

"What was that all about?" Peeta asked but his question fell upon deaf ears. I only watched as Cato sauntered away and a strange, uncomfortable feeling burned my stomach.

"Nothing, Cato's just being his normal self…"

"So an asshole?"

"Yup."


	8. Chapter 8

Today was the day.

The day where my life would be ripped from my own hands and placed into the new Gamemaker's, Plutarch Heavansbee.

As I sat in my room, I ran a hand over my hair. It was partially braided back and the ends were bound tightly into a soft bun. As I sat on the bed, I could still hear his words in my head from last night. His haunting words

"_And the last words that will leave your mouth will be... Cato... And you'll have wished that you chose me…"_

I shivered and raised a hand to where his lips had touched my cheek. He was trying to get into my head. Trying to make me drop my guard around him. But I saw his game plan.

Get the District 12 girl on his side and then kill her in her sleep. Much easier and less stressful to kill her if she isn't hunting him at the same time.

Standing up from my seat on the edge of my bed, I walked to the door and out into the open living room. I could hear everyone talking quietly when I was in my room but when I shut my door behind me, they all grew quiet.

Taking a deep breath, I walked forward and silently embraced Cinna. He murmured a few reassuring words into my ear and I tried smiling at him. I had already had my fair share of time in with him this morning. He had to braid my hair and prep my clothing.

Moving on, I pulled Katniss into a hug as well. She gently stroked my hair before rubbing my back. We used to be such friends back when we were younger. Not that we still weren't friends but our relationship had been…strained these last few months.

Peeta was the one that kept us together but also tore us apart. I loved Peeta. So did Katniss.

"I'm sorry for bringing you into this mess..." She said quietly and I released a loud sigh as I clutched onto her.

"It's alright, Katniss. And, I want you to just know that you'll always be my friend. Take care of Peeta for me when I'm gone..." I whispered back and she didn't respond.

A felt a huge weight suddenly lift off my shoulders because I knew that deep down, Katniss would take care of Peeta. She would protect him when I couldn't be there and I wouldn't have to worry about him in the arena.

Peeta would be my hardest goodbye.

Turning around, I didn't even have time to blink before Peeta scooped me up in his arms. He held me to him and I found it hard to breathe as he crushed me against him.

It felt good despite my pain, safe in his arms. My shoulders were shaking slightly from both fear and emotion. Emotions that were so strong, I couldn't contain them. He rubbed my back affectionately and I sighed.

"You'll do fine Shay, you're a survivor..." He said as he hugged me tightly one last time.

"But how am I supposed to survive when only one person can win?" I asked as slow tears fell down my cheeks. Peeta didn't respond and instead kissed my temple. "I love you..." I said quietly, my voice quaking with emotions.

"I love you, too Shay-Shay..." He said quietly and I bit my lip to stop the quivering. Little did Peeta know, I really meant those words.

They weren't friendly feelings. This was something different entirely. Some stronger. Something worse.

Peeta released me but gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before I was escorted away, sending him one last look.

Haymitch lead me downstairs and we were seated inside a Capitol car before it pulled away from the building.

* * *

When we arrived at the hangar, I looked back one last time at Haymitch who weakly smiled and nodded. "I'll see you in the launching room..." I nodded and then was escorted up the ramp by four Peacekeepers.

Once inside, my eyes took in all my surroundings.

Along the wall, I noticed numbers placed upon the wall above the chairs. Spotting my number above a seat, I quietly sat down.

Without warning, a man walked up to me and strapped me into the harnesses attached to the seat. It was difficult to move in the tight harness.

I struggled for a few minutes, simply trying to get the straps a little bit looser so I could breathe properly. It was so tight and panic began to set in.

It felt like I couldn't breathe! I grunted as I tried to find some way to loosen it and it only ended up exhausting myself. Out of breath, I leaned my head back against the padded cushion and sighed.

Since I was strapped in, I couldn't really do anything but look around. People continued to board the hovercraft.

However, I didn't see Peeta or Katniss. I didn't even hear Finnick. The Victors must have had a separate ship from the tributes.

I winced as the back gate opened again, revealing the bright sunlight that reflected off the pavement, nearly blinding me.

I shielded my eyes and which then narrowed when an oddly familiar face sat down across from me. He seemed to be relatively calm and I just sat there, grasping the arms of my chair tightly as the restraints held me in place.

A few beads of sweat fell down my face and I hated the feeling of not being able to move.

He leaned forward onto his knees and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Sensing my eyes upon him, he turned and looked at me.

There was something cold and distant in his eyes, completely opposite of what I saw at the interviews the night before.

He was focused in on the Games, just like I should be.

I easily met his icy blue gaze and he chuckled quietly before leaning back in his chair. My knuckles turned white as they grasped the arms of the chair and he seemed to notice my distaste for being strapped down.

Opening his mouth to comment, I waited for his snarky remark but he never got the chance to say something.

"Hold out your arm, please." My eyes snapped away from Cato at the sound of a woman's voice to my right.

She was dressed in all white and had a smile on her face. But it seemed forced and fake. She held a silver contraption in her hands and my eyes flickered from it and back to her face.

"Why?" I asked, not trusting her and that silver thing. Without even answering, she grasped my wrist tightly and turned my arm over, exposing the soft skin.

She took the contraption and stuck it under my skin. The thick needle burned and I let out a hiss of pain but she quickly withdrew it and continued on down the line. My arm burned like crazy for a couple more seconds before it disappeared entirely.

Looking it over, the needle hadn't left a single mark. No blood. Wiggling my fingers to make sure they were still useful, I was surprised when they did. You never know, they could poison me.

Make things simpler.

I could just collapse in the arena and the Gamemakers would say I died from starvation or dehydration.

My eyes narrowed and I ran a finger over the place where the needle entered my skin. My eyes widened slightly when I felt a bump protrude from my arm.

A tracker?

* * *

I stumbled as I was roughly shoved into the launching room. What ever happened to the friendliness of the Capitol?

The door slammed shut behind me and the clicking told me that I was locked inside. Hearing a cough behind me, I slowly turned around.

Haymitch was waiting for me like he said. One of the walls in the room was made of mirrors, just mirrors. I just looked at my reflection for a minute.

Cinna had but me in a tight, lime green jumpsuit. It was rather ugly but it was sleek, like a swimsuit. I already knew that the arena was filled with water thanks to Plutarch.

So this ugly suit was to be expected, I guess.

There was an odd purple belt fastened around my waist. It didn't look like it could hold much so it looked to be relatively useless.

As I was looking in the mirrors, Haymitch walked up and stood behind me. We just stayed like that for a few moments, looking at our own reflections.

"When you get back to District 12, tell my mom that I loved her. Tell… Tell, Samuel and Cam that I'm sorry for all the times I accidentally cut them in the shop, even if I said I mean it, even though I probably did. Tell my dad that I'm sorry I was never the son he wanted..." A tear fell down my cheek and I briskly whipped it away. There was no time left to regret anything. I just had to live while I still could.

Walking up to my mentor, I didn't say anything. I only wrapped my arms around him, asking silently for a hug back. He was surprisingly sober and smelled different but, he hugged me nonetheless. It only lasted a few moments but Haymitch kissed the top of my head.

"I never really said thank you for all the meat... So thank you. And stay alive as long as possible..." He advised bluntly and swallowed nervously. I whimpered slightly and he smoothed down my hair. He kissed the top of my head again before releasing me.

"Here's your token..." Haymitch held out his hand. I extended my palm out towards him and when he opened his own, the ivory pendant pressed against my skin.

It was extremely cold, almost freezing.

He let the silver chain fall into my hand and I sighed. My eyes flashed up to his face for a moment and he nodded.

He said I would understand later. It was later, and I still didn't understand.

I knew about the rebellion the moment it started. It was easy to see how tense President Snow was whenever he was on television. He knew that he was losing control of his country.

Compared to all the other years, he had be so angry looking when they interviewed Katniss and Peeta after they won.

I also knew about Katniss's supposed "wedding dress" when in reality it turned into a Mockingjay, signaling the start of the rebellion. And the baby.

Peeta got Katniss pregnant and they announced it on TV. But, I knew a secret that I couldn't tell anyone…. (Katniss wasn't really pregnant).

The Mockingjay was the symbol of our rebellion. Last night, Haymitch had told me the plan.

Save Katniss.

Do anything to keep her alive. I was okay with that. If it made a brighter future for our children, then I wouldn't be ashamed to die for that.

When I stepped off the train at the station, I knew that I wouldn't come home from these Games. And now I had begun to accept that fact.

I placed the wolf token around my neck and straightened out my suit. A bell dinged loudly overhead and a voice rang out.

"_One minute to launch_..." I looked up at Haymitch and he nodded grimly before leading me over to the glass tube in the center of the room.

"It's time sweetheart..." I nodded turned away from him before walking towards the glass tube. The countdown started and counted down ten seconds before I stepped towards the door. It slid open with a hiss and I stepped inside.

The tub sealed shut behind me.

"40... 39... 38... 37... 36..." The platform began to rise underneath me and I looked up. As the arena came into sight, my vision was somewhat unfocused.

It was like I was seeing things in haze and it took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the brightness. The sunlight was reflecting off the surface around us.

Looking down, I covered my eyes with the back of my hand. Water lapped at my platform and for a moment, I smiled and completely forgot I was in the Games.

It was beautiful. I was standing in the middle of the ocean. I had never seen the ocean before. Only read about it in books.

My eyes quickly darted around and I took in my surroundings for the first and possible last time.

The Cornucopia laid about fifty yards away with a bar of sand between each two tributes or victors. From what I could tell, there was a huge pile of supplies and weapons outside and more weapons on the inside.

Upon further inspection, I could see a coat rack inside as well, stocked with thick winter clothing. That was weird.

From what I could see, there was 24 spokes with two platforms on each side, leaving 48 Victors and Tributes.

Turning around, we were basically surrounded by land with one sandbar leading to the north and one to the south. The northern part of the island had tropical looking trees while the southern part looked to have normal oak trees swaying about in the sea breeze.

Weird.

"20... 19... 18... 17... 16..." My eyes scanned the pile of weapons and supplies. They found a set of six throwing knives on a rock, right next to a hunting knife. I also spotted a few bows placed inside the huge pile.

Inside the Cornucopia, there was a sword that I needed to get my hands on. It wasn't a necessity but it would be nice to have a heavy duty weapon.

I also needed a coat. I didn't know what for but I knew that I needed one.

"10... 9... 8... 7..." I glanced behind me once more. I would head to the southern side of the island. It looked normal, unlike the northern part.

"6... 5... 4..." My eyes looked around at the other Tributes. Kaz was three platforms down from me. Katniss was on the other side of the Cornucopia. Peeta was half way between Katniss and I.

Cato was only two platforms away from Katniss but I noticed he was looking directly at me. He had a smug grin on his face that made my insides churn.

Don't focus on him now.

Knives, dagger, pack, sword, coat, Kaz. Knives, dagger, pack, sword, coat, Kaz.

I repeated the same words over and over in my head.

"3... 2... 1..." The gong chimed and it felt like I hesitated a moment. The arena was dead silent in that moment and the only sound I could hear was my heart beating loudly in my chest.

I immediately dove off the platform. I glided through the water easily, thankful for the wet suit now.

Resurfacing for air, I pointed myself in the direction of the sandbar, knowing that I could run faster than I could swim.

Upon reaching the beach, my legs burned and I sputtered as some water had entered my lungs. However, the splashing behind me alerted me that someone was coming so I dragged myself ashore and sprinted down the long stretch of sand.

Glancing around, I noticed that a lot of Tributes hadn't even gotten off their platforms yet. Pushing that back to my mind, I faced forward, not wanting to end up with a spear stuck in my stomach.

When I got to the pile, I wrapped my hands around the pack of knives and the knife. I heard the crunching of sand behind me and pulling out a throwing knife, I readied to throw it at my attacker, my hazel eyes wide.

Finnick stood poised and ready, a trident held tightly in his hands. We looked at each other for what seemed like forever and it seemed the first one to move died. We stared each other down, my eyes never leaving his.

"I see you swam well?" He said finally, a smile breaking onto his face. He lowered his trident unexpectedly and I lowered my knives out of confusion. "Oh boy, watch out Shay-Shay!" He suddenly reached forward, grabbing my arm, and pulled me to his chest, using his other hand to spear the District 5 Victor who was coming up behind me with a machete raised in the air. When the man dropped to the ground, my face paled and I pushed away from Finnick and stumbled out of his reach.

"Why didn't you let him kill me?" I asked as I staggered up from the ground. Reaching behind my back, I picked up the pack I had wanted and found it to be relatively heavy. I slung it across my shoulders and fastened it.

"I have my reasons, love..." He said as he picked up a pack, checking its weight before throwing it back on the ground. My eyes, however, were still focused on the dead body before me.

"You… You just killed him…" I pointed a shaking finger at the dead Victor and Finnick continued to look for a bag.

"So?"

"He was a human being!"

"And so are we but do you think that would have stopped him?" The Victor snapped at me and I simply stood there, unwavering. "Shade, this is the Hunger Games, you either have to hunt or be the hunted…" Again, I didn't say anything and I looked back to the dead Victor. "Oh, and you better run before Cato comes along!"

My eyes widened and I looked back to the water. Sure enough, a dripping Cato emerged from the water and I also noticed Katniss gripping onto one of the many bows that were wedged in the largepile.

Racing into the Cornucopia, I pulled the sword from the rack and yanked two coats off the hanger. One for Kaz and one for me.

I slapped on the throwing knife belt and tightened it around my waist before running outside. A few other tributes had finally climbed ashore and my eyes darted around, looking for one in particular.

"Kaz?" I called and my heart beat rapidly in my chest. _Where was he?_

Just as I turned around, someone slammed into me and I stumbled a bit. Turning my head to the side, I found Kaz sprawled out on the ground.

He had a pack in his hands, along with a small knife. Reaching down, I hauled him up to his feet by the collar of his shirt.

"Run!" I screamed and shoved him ahead of me so I could keep him running. The two of us began sprinting down the beach and I directed him to the southern part of the island.

I screamed as an axe flew by my head and I ducked away from the projectile. Kaz stopped but I screamed at him to go on and that I would catch up.

Hearing a loud yell, I turned around and looked up to see the male Victor from 7 running at me, an axe held high above his head. He swung down at me and I ducked out of the way.

In the background, I could hear Kaz yelling at me and more people approaching. He swung again but missed completely and, thanks to the training I had in the few days at the Center, I saw an opening to strike.

"I'm sorry..." I said as I plunged my new sword into his stomach. His body shuttered for a moment before I felt liquid spill across my hands. My eyes stared straight ahead as I felt him go slack.

Remember: Hunt, don't be the hunted.

He slunk to the ground and without looking down at him, I pulled my blade free from his skin. Not even bothering with the blood, I began sprinting down the beach behind Kaz's ever shrinking form.

"_Save Katniss_..."

I stopped mid-stride and turned around. Katniss was fighting alongside Finnick and the Career tributes were gathering their weapons and had started killing people.

Thinking fast, I did probably the stupidest thing ever in the history of the Games.

"Hey, Careers! You want a hunt! I'll give you a hunt!" I hollered and watched as all four of them faced me. I smirked and raced off down the beach. "Too chicken to come after me?"

Hearing screaming, I only turned for a moment to see that the very water I had just been swimming in was shark infested.

Blood colored the water and without another look, I turned and sprinted down the strip of land and crashed through the tree line, the branches whipping my face but as I escaped into the trees, I felt a little safer.

I had made it out of the blood bath alive.

"You better run, Twelve! We're coming to get you!" I could hear a bunch of laughing coming from behind me but it was still a good distance away. I had time.

"What do you think I'm doing?" I called back, taunting them further. I continued to hear their joyous laughter and this was the time I became a little worried.

I had successfully gotten them away from Katniss. Now they were my problem.

My feet carried me where ever they planned to go. I only stopped when I could run no longer and my legs were the one who told me to stop.

I collapsed onto a stray log and panted heavily.

Trying to keep quiet, my eyes darted around and I opened my ears. No other noises were heard. At least I had lost the Careers. For now.

"Kaz?" I asked into the quiet forest and I turned my head when I heard the rustling of the green ferns to my left. Grabbing ahold of the a throwing knife, I prepared myself for whatever decided to come crashing through the pushes.

However, I was relieved when the young boy I had been searching for emerged from the bushes, his brow covered with sweat and his face red from running. The thirteen year old looked me up and down for a moment and I could see the fear in his eyes.

When I looked down at myself, my face paled. My whole front was stained with the blood from the District 7 Victor. My stomach suddenly dropped and I held up my hands, which were also blood stained.

"Kaz, it's not what it looks like..." I said and he slowly nodded. Letting out a relieved sigh, I suddenly felt him slam into me. His skinny arms encircled my waist and after a moment of adjusting to the feeling of him around me, I placed my chin atop his head before wrapping my arms around him.

At least I had done my job. I had gotten everyone out alive. I hope.

My heart seemed to leap from my chest as the first cannon went off. It was soon followed by twenty more. Twenty one people dead. And they were never, ever coming back.

Taking this time, I pushed away from Kaz before I let my rear fall onto the grassy ground. Pulling the bag from my back, I searched the pack I had collected. Kaz also dropped down beside me and opened his pack as well.

Between us, we had a large canteen of water, a bundle of rope, a flint, a package of dried meat, and a blanket. I also inspected the pockets of the coats I had grabbed. I found a thick woolen hat and a two pairs of warm gloves.

I sort of lucked out on my choices of packs.

Seeing as the purple belt around my waist was no use, I chucked it off into the bushes. Good riddance of the ugly accessory.

My fingers absently drifted to the knives at my belt and I counted help but count them. Six. I counted. Six people could die under these blades. I didn't want to think about that right now.

By now, the sky was growing darker and I was starting to get thirsty. Taking the canteen out, I took a small sip of water, being careful to conserve it. Kaz followed suit, making sure to stay hydrated as he took a small sip.

Grasping onto his hand, I walked through the forest with him in tow. Eventually, I found a good tree and we stopped at the base. It was pretty thick around the trunk and from what I could tell, it looked relatively easy to climb.

But, I didn't know how well Kaz could climb.

I turned and looked at him. He had a worried look on his face and I frowned at him. Really? He was afraid of climbing trees?

"I'm not sleeping on the ground if that's what you're thinking..." I told him as I stepped closer to the tree. "Just watch what I do..."

"Shade?" He asked as I grabbed a hold of a few branches in preparation to haul myself up but I stopped upon hearing my name.

"Yeah?"

"I don't know how to climb trees..." My mouth dropped open.

This was the first time I had actually heard him speak.

He usually was a listener and did what I told him but hearing him, it was weird. Blinking back into reality, I glanced between the tree and him.

"Well, uh… I'll climb to the top and tie the rope around a branch then climb down and tie it around you. Then, all you have to do is pull yourself up…" I explained and reached into my pack before scaling the tree. Once at the top, I tied the rope around a thick branch and dropped it down to Kaz.

When I got back to the ground, I instructed him in making the knots for the harness and I helped to secure the rope around his legs and then up around his torso. However, when I stepped back to examine his face, it was wrinkled in worry. I told him he had nothing to worry about and I told him where to put his hands.

After about a half-hour of tree climbing, we eventually made it to the top. Sighing, I leaned back against the base of the tree. The branch I had chosen was nice and thick, just wide enough for two people to sit side by side.

"That was fun!" He said and his green eyes shone in the moonlight. I weakly smiled before shutting my eyes in exhaustion. The adrenaline was wearing off and I was just so tired.

But, I had made it through the first day of the Hunger Games.

I only hoped that Katniss and Peeta did as well. Were they alright? Did anyone get hurt? Was it wrong to say that I even worried about… Finnick?

"Well, we'll have to keep working on that. If we were being chased, we would have been killed for sure..." I said, my voice even and smooth.

It was true, if we were being chased Kaz would have killed me. And I would be pissed.

Looking back at the young boy, his face was suddenly saddened and I noticed him glancing at my fingers. They were still stained scarlet from the blood.

I shivered suddenly and I realized that it was getting cold. No wonder they had coats for the Tributes. Pulling my coat from my pack, I pushed my hands through the sleeves and then covered my hands with the soft gloves.

Kaz mirrored my actions and I insisted he wore the hat so that his ears wouldn't fall off. He did not protest one bit.

Pulling the blanket out, I slung it across both our legs so that we could begin to settle in. Using the rope same rope from before, I tied us to the branch so we wouldn't roll off while we slept.

It wasn't long before I noticed Kaz was asleep. His breathing was quiet and his face was relaxed as he slept.

Suddenly, he let out a quiet sigh before snuggling closer to my side. The temperature had dropped dramatically and I didn't protest against any type of extra heat so I just let him sleep. He was like a little furnace.

My eyes were just about to drift shut when the Capitol's anthem suddenly echoed throughout the woods, nearly causing me to scream.

After realizing what the sound was, I covered Kaz's ears and was relieved when he did not stir. The faces of the dead tributes flashed across the sky and reflected in my pupils but I made sure to count.

Both Tributes from 3. Both Tributes from 4. Male Tribute and both Victors from 5. Female Victor and male Tribute from 6. Male Victor and both Tributes from 7. Everyone from 8. Female Victor and Tribute from 9. Both Victors from 10. Female Victor from 11.

If I recalled correctly, I think her name was Seeder. Haymitch had introduced us once. She was nice and it was sad to know that she was gone.

21 dead.

But, Kaz was safe. Katniss and Peeta were safe. Finnick was safe. And dare I say Cato had _survived_.

* * *

**Review, please! I was a bit disappointed that no one review last chapter! Please, please, please, please, please review! I love you people for reading but it isn't fun for me if I don't get any feedback!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Third Person's POV**

Haymitch ran his hands through his greasy hair as he watched the events unfolding on the large television. All his tributes had survived the Bloodbath and were all resting peacefully.

Shade and the boy were up in a tree on the northern part of the island. Both of them were safe and he watched as Shade sat up most the night, watching for any dangers. He was proud of her. She had taken everything into her own hands and gotten out safely.

She had even killed Blight, which he wasn't extremely happy about but he attacked her so he should have seen if comig.

The mentor's stomach dropped when Shade had finally fell asleep and only minutes later, the Careers had found them and quietly set up camp. Glimmer had protested heavy and just told them all, she could kill them now. Haymitch was shocked though, when the blonde boy told them to wait until morning. He claimed that he wanted it to be light enough out to see the blood.

When she woke up the next morning, Shade stiffled a yawn and instead opted to take a deep breath instead. She arched her back and stretched her arms over her head. She had gotten about half a night's worth of sleep. She had become paranoid.

Animals had kept her up all night. Russling trees. Insects. Thunderstorms.

The warm lump at her side stole her attention away from her thoughts. Kaz was still resting peacefully and she hadn't felt him move at all in the night. He didn't even wake up for the thunder from the storms.

Looking down at the blanket covering their lower half, she noticed it was extremely damp. Shade was pretty sure it hadn't rained last night so, why were they wet? Glancing around she noticed an odd white substance near their feet. She untied her midsection and inched over to it. It was cold and melted.

Snow. It had snowed while they were sleeping but she couldn't see any of the white stuff anywhere. She poked at the small pile for a few more moments before leaning back. But then, a familiar smell filled her nose. Fire and smoke.

Cato tore his eyes away from the fire and looked up to the branch. He could see the outline of the two tributes from his spot. He suddenly saw the right side shift and it moved around for a few moments. He held his breath and waited, hoping that Shade would just wise up and leave. He wanted her to just silently pack up and get out of here. Marvel suddenly stirred and Cato frowned.

The dark haired boy sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Almost as if he could sense that the two tributes were awake, he looked up. He smiled eeriely before kicking Clove's boot and nudging Glimmer in the side.

Both females woke up immediately, making a huge rucas as if they weren't really in the Games. They made a big deal of stretching their arms above their head and yawning. Cato only growled before rubbing a hand over his face. Upon looking up, Cato watched as Shade heard them and her head suddenly appeared over the edge of the limb. Her lips were turned down into a frown and she pulled back.

"Hey guys, she's up!" Smoke was billowing up to reach her branch. The black substance lazily grazed Shade's skin and she coughed before swipping at it. She grumbled before leaning back against the base of the tree. Her plan just got a whole lot more complicated. Kaz finally stired by her side and he yawned loudly before stretching.

"Cato you were right! He _is_ with her!" The feminine voice called up from below them and Kaz froze. His green eyes darted up to Shade's who slowly nodded her head.

Well, damn. Things were way more complicated right now. Kaz couldn't climb a tree, let alone jump across to another one.

Peering over the side once more, Shay was able to dodge a knife that came flying up at her. It landed in the tree branch above them with a thud and she laughed. She looked back down at the group and smirked. Reaching up, she pulled the small knife from the wood and waved it down at Clove.

"Thanks for the free knife!" Shade fingered the blade before she heard another blade coming at her and moved her head to the side slightly. Looking over at Kaz, she could see her own reflection in the silver of the blade.

"You missed!" She reclined back and played with the two knives.

"Hey, Shay-Shay! Why don't you come down here and we can have some fun?" Glimmer yelled up to her and she glanced over the edge before frowning. She shook her head before standing up.

"I'm not really in the mood to play..." She grumbled and stretched her back out. It had gotten a bit stiff sleeping up against a tree and she slung her bag across her back. She took a couple steps out onto the tree limb and it sagged beneath her weight.

"Shay, what are you doing?" Kaz asked quietly, his eyes wide with terror.

"Leading them away from you..."

"_Kaaaaazzzz_!?" They both peered over the edge at Clove who was beaming up at the thirteen year old. He looked back to Shade and she only shook her head.

"Kaz, come down here, please? I want to get to know you a little better..." She said, her voice sickly sweet and she frowned. In his green eyes, she could seriously see him considering if he should go down there.

"Kaz..." Shade said quietly but he couldn't take his eyes of Clove.

"I want you to join our alliance. We could use your _skills_..." She lied and Shay felt her stomach burn in anger.

"I want to be with you..." Lie. Before she knew what was happening, Kaz began climbing down the tree. She sighed and shook her head.

"Kaz, stop! She is lying to you!" She yelled and her voice echoed throughout the forest. He stopped descending down the trunk and looked up at her. Shade shook her head and he glanced back at Clove.

"Once your feet touch the ground, they will kill you..." She said and his face suddenly paled. Looking over the Careers below them, her eyes found Cato. He was starring up at the both of them intently, his face slightly hopeful. Like he was waiting for his prey to descend into his claws.

"You can't trust a Career because in the end, they'll just stab you in the back..." Shade told him, her voice dripping with acid. She meant it, too. When Peeta had joined the Careers last year, they had turned on him and slashed his leg. He had been lucky to stay alive.

Cato's eyes suddenly darted up to the aggitated female above them. She was no longer smiling, she didn't even look like the female at the dance the night before the Games. She looked down at him angrily, her body rigid. He noticed the light reflecting off the throwing knives in her belt and for the first time, noticed the long sword also hanging from her side.

Upon further inspection, he noticed she didn't have a bow on her. But, he watched as her eyes fell on Glimmer and the slender bow on her back. She eyes her spitefully, probably wishing she had to bow right now.

"Kaz, she's just telling you that because she doesn't want us to be together..." Clove's voice brought Cato from his thoughts and he looked at her for a moment. Right, just play the Game to get the kid out of the way. He would definately be a problem, for Shade at least. For the group of Careers, he would only be another kill. Cato watched as Shay's nose wrinkled up and her fists clenched.

"Haymitch, I'm trying to protect an idiot!" She yelled up to the sky, knowing that her mentor was watching her at that very moment. He was indeed watching and he was laughing. He couldn't agree more. This kid was an idiot. Haymitch chuckled quietly before taking a sip of his scotch.

Looking down at her feet, she tested the strength of the branch. Taking a few steps back, she ran full speed and threw herself across the gap to another branch. She wrapped her arms around the wood, letting her legs dangle. With a grunt, she hoisted myself up and sat perched on a different branch now.

"Kaz, whatever happens. Don't think it was my fault that you died..." Her voice was poisinous and without looking back, she proceeded to jump from tree to tree.

"Hey! Shade wait!" She stopped and looked back. Cato came through the undergrowth and jogged up to the trunk of the tree she was in.

"Why don't you join in on our alliance?" He asked and she laughed humorously.

Shade swung down onto a lower branch and the leaves russled as she landed gracefully on her rear. He watched her, his blue eyes intent on her figure. She hung her legs over the side of the branch and swung them back and forth.

"You're really going to try that with _me_?" She asked, bring her face closer to his in an almost teasing fashion. She was just out of reach of his sword so she knew that she was safe. Shay bent down and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. He smirked up at her and ran a hand through his hair.

"It's not the same..." He suddenly sobbered and she could see him tense up.

"How is it _not_ the same?" She asked, her voice hard once more. Looking up into her hazel eyes, they were once again like a dark brown wall, not letting any information slip about her feelings. Cato didn't reply, instead his gaze was downcast towards the ground. Standing up, the branch swayed slightly and she began to climb back up the tree.

The others joined us and Shade was wary of the bow and arrow in Glimmer's hand. Not wanting to risk a chance, she brought a knife from her belt and twirled it in her hands. Glimmer and Marvel let out a noise of unapproval and took a step back. Cato contained a laugh and Clove looked up at her with an unfamiliar expression. What was that? Admiration?

Exactly.

"Well, I hate to leave now but I really must be off! And may the odds be _ever_ in your _damn_ favor!" Shade said over her shoulder in a fake Capitol accent. She only got a couple steps before there was a loud rumble. The ground shook underneath her feet and she was barely able to keep her balance on the limb. The shaking stopped for a moment and she looked around.

Just as she was about ready to open her mouth and say something, the ground shook again, more violently this time. With a startled yell, she dropped from the tree like a leaf and landed hard on her back with a thud. Haymitch flinched as Shade landed on the ground. He heard the loud crack and watched as her face distrorted up in pain.

"Come on, sweetheart..." He said and took a sip of his drink. She groaned and slowly rolled over onto her stomach.

Looking around, she saw the others were on the ground was well and they were looking around, shocked.

There was another rumble and in the distance, she heard a low howl and her eyes met Cato's for a second. Animals began racing past the group and she had to duck out of the way as a deer jumped over her. Something bad was coming.

Wihtout thinking, she climbed to her feet but that was a big mistake. Anyone could tell that something was wrong with her back. It was stuck at a weird angle and a lump protruded from the right side down low. Shade winced as she placed her hands on her lower back. She gritted her teeth and swallowed thickly.

Counting to three, she shooved her hands forward, thrusting her back into place. A loud, pain filled scream came out of her throat and she collapsed to her knees once again. Her chest moved up and down at a more natural pace. She slowly stood up, making sure to favor her back slightly as to not hurt it again. Without a doubt, it would hurt again tomorrow but the pain had been lessened greatly.

She began to jog away, slightly hobbling and dared one last look over her shoulder. Cato was slowly getting up from the ground. He bent down from his tall height and picked up the sword that lay in the leaves. He looked extremely intidmidating right now and for the first time ever, Shade's mind was clouded with fear.

Cato looked over at the girl in the leaves. Her back lay at an odd angle and loud whimpers escaped her throat. She had effectively put it back into place though but her screams still echoed in his ears. She reminded him so much of Emily in that moment.

They both had long flowing golden hair and the only difference was their eye color. Emily's had been a striking green like their father's eyes but that was the only difference between the two siblings, besides age.

When he had risen from the ground and she had been running, she turned back to look one last time. Cato didn't know if he was pleased or disappointed with himself that her hazel eyes shone brightly with fear. Fear of him. Guilt immediately filled his gut and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from asking if she was alright.

Both tributes were drawn from their own thought processes as another howl sounded in the distance except it was much closer this time. Cato watched as her hazel eyes drifted off into the distance and widened. She grabbed her pack from the ground and spun, taking off into the distance. Her feet kicked up leaves behindd her which flitted to the ground in her wake.

A couple yells sounded from behind her and she glanced over to see the Careers in the trees. Kaz was with them. Traitorous little bastard.

Sprinting off, Shade didn't need to see the wolves to know they were after her. They easily picked up her scent on the breeze and were soon on her tail. Her boots thundered across the ground as she raced through the foliage. Her breathing was rapid and her eyes scanned the surrounding trees for a low branch she could climb up onto.

But of course, the Gamemakers wanted none of that.

The adrenaline coursed through her veins and she pushed her feet to go faster. She jumped over a log, her feet barely clearing the top. That should slow them down a could hear them coming after her. She could feel them breathing down her neck. The blonde girl was fast but she wouldn't be able to outrun them.

Haymitch shifted in his seat nervously as he watched the pack of wolves descend upon his tribute. He wanted to call out, to tell her to pick up the pace but as she pumped her arms, he knew that she wouldn't last very long at the pace she was going.

Pulling her sword out of her belt, she almost cut herself mutliple times before she was able to free it. At the moment she freed her blade, Shade was tackled to the ground. Haymitch watched as she fell to the ground, the large grey beast pushing down on her back. She fell in slow motion, as if the Gamemakers were toying with the audience.

Haymitch had a plan though. He had a "gift" coming to help Shade at it was due to arrive at any moment now.

A heavy weight was pressed down onto her back and Shade could feel the claws rake against the coat covering her. Lashing out at anything, she managed to hit something and a yelp echoed off the trees. Her attackers haulted for a moment and she was able to scramble up from the ground. Pulling out the dagger in her boot, she held it in her left hand, sword in her right.

The mutts had backed off and were now moving through the underbrush. They were waiting to strike and they continued to snap twigs, making her spin around to see nothing but air behind her.

A loud howl came from the girl's right and she turned just in time as a wolf lunged at me. Out of reflex, she screamed and swipped at the mutation. It yelped as my blade sliced through its neck and she was tackled from her other side.

Haymitch gripped his glass tightly, the glass groaning slightly under the pressure. Where was the damn thing?

She continued to fight furiously, getting nipped and scratched at a couple times. Hearing another crack, the large black dog/bear smashed into her chest. She tumbled backwards, rolling over herself a few times before coming to a rest on my back. Sitting up, their growls alerted her that they were close. Shade inched back from the creatures, trying to get away from them.

My heart dropped when my back pressed against a tree stump and she shut her eyes. Her sword was on the other side of the clearing, behind the wolves. The dagger lay next to it and her arms were sagging under their own weight.

This is it.

"God dammit, Heavensbee!" Haymitch yelled as he rose up from the white leather couch. His grip was so tight that the glass in his hand shattered and his eyes were bulging from anger. Shade was going to die because the damn Gamemaker didn't get his "gift" there in time.

Shade shut her eyes tightly, waiting for death but when she felt nothing she opened her eyes. All I saw was a white blur and I heard a snarl and the snapping of jaws. A few yelps broke out into the silent air and the wolves rounded on their heels before bolting off into the trees. White fur stood on end as the animal's hackles raised in defense. A rumbling growl sounded from deep within the beast and it caused her spin to tingle.

The beast turned to her and she was met with the most beautiful amber eyes. They seemed to move and ripple when ever he blinked. Shade had to look away because of the intensity inside them and with a snort it turned and trotted off into the trees.

She watched the white form disappear and then swallowed. Her eyes darted around the clearing before she quickly crawled over to her bloodied blades incase the wolves deicded to return. She had somehow managed to kill a couple of the bear wolves and she finally got a good chance to look at them.

They were huge but they weren't extremely tall. They were more stocky and square instead of tall and lanky like a normal wolf. One of them was brown while the other was a pale silver, nothing comparable to the white creature she saw only moments ago.

Standing up, her legs shook slightly and the blonde girl whipped the blood from her swords before putting them away.

* * *

Her stomach growled loudly as her boots crunched across the fern covered ground. Stopping, Shade pulled the jerky from her bag and finished the small amount inside. Her stomach still grumbled with hunger and she knew it wasn't satisfied. It took a lot more than a couple pieces of fake meat to fill her stomach.

Growing quiet, Shade stood completely still for a moment, not even breathing. The only sounds around her were the quiet chirps of the birds above her head and the quiet russling of the trees. Other than that, nothing.

Relaxing, she pulled her jacket off and stuffed it into the big pocket of her bag. It was rather hot out and it still baffled her how there was snow on their blanket this morning. It wasn't even realitively cold out when she woke up and now it was blazing hot. Sweat dripped from her brow and she whipped it away. The butcher's daughter needed something to hunt with and knives would not do.

She needed them for more important things, like killing people. Woah. She shook that thought from her head the moment it appeared. Where did that just come from? She asked herself and was a little terrified. She was turning into one of them.

She was turning into a Career.

Her growling stomach was what brough her back into reality. She needed a bow and that was the one thing she couldn't get her hands on back at the Cornicopia.

She grumbled and kicked a nearby tree, causing her foot to throb slightly. She cursed before raking a hand through her hair. She mopped a hand over her face and just began walking.

The encounter with the wolves had left her extremely shaken and she was more paranoid, if even possible. At every little noise, she would spin around, throwing knife in hand and ready to kill if the need called.

* * *

**I'm thinking about changing the name of this story but I don't know what to call it. Review and tell me what you think it should be called. **

**Okay, please review. No one has reviewed for the last couple chapters. Sure, I have gotten a decent amount of views but please, review. Or else, I might just stop writing and I mean, I love this story and I picks up a little now that they are in the arena. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Third Person's POV**

Finnick sighed in contentment as he lay back on the sand. His bronze hair lazily drifted in the breeze and he swatted at a fly that insisted on pestering him. The victor scratched his side for only a second and he grumbled when his scabs itched again. He began to scratch his side rapidly and he felt skin come off under his finger nails.

"Don't itch!" Katniss commanded and swatted his hand away. He looked at the dark haired female before shutting his eyes tightly again. He tried to start itching again only to be slapped across the face.

"I said stop itching!" She yelled at him and he winced slightly as he rubbed his cheek.

"Alright, Mother!" He teased as he sat up. He moved his jaw up and down, making sure it still worked properly. Finnick looked around, his sea green eyes scanning the surroundings.

He made Peeta's familiar form off in the distance. He had his feet in the ocean water and he was just sitting out in the sun. His pale blonde hair shone gold in the sunlight and Finnick sighed.

"He really misses her, doesn't he?" Finnick asked and he could see Katniss tense up.

"He's just worried about her..." She replied, her voice sounding distant. As distant as Peeta was at this moment.

Finnick's eyes darted between the two and he wondered about things. He wondered how they were all connected. Shade seemed friendly enough with the both of them.

He even wondered if Shade was still alive. He wouldn't mind seeing her face again. Only three canons had gone off in the last couple days, so things were going a bit slow but with the Gamemakers sitting at the controls, things would eventually pick up.

Finnick knew that Shay-Shay had to be on the southern part of the island because he had seen her run off in that direction. He also saw how she called to the Careers, making them chase after her. It was extremely brave of her to do that.

To take on four Careers. And to take care of that boy at the same time. He was exceptionally useless.

"You miss her too, don't you?" Katniss suddenly asked by my side. He squinted up at her, the sun blinding him.

"Well... yeah..."

"Why?"

"I don't know... Cause she's a breath of fresh air?" He tried, sounding innocent as he raised his voice a few octaves. Katniss only snorted before scratching at her arm.

"Don't itch!" Finnick mimicked Katniss in a ridiculously high pitched voice. It sounded completely unnatural but Katniss still laughed despite his ridiculousness.

"Don't think I saw that move you pulled in the pool..." She teased and Finnick only ran a hand through his hair.

"You mean me drowning...?"

"Yes. You _drowning_. A District 4 victor drowning in an _artificial_ pool!" Katniss exclaimed and dumped a handful of sand on him. He only watched her do it before grumbling and wiping it off his abs.

"She enjoyed it thoroughly so I think it was fine..."

"And how do you know he enjoyed it?"

"She kissed me back!" Finnick protested and dodged a swipe from Katniss. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he moved away from her.

"Yeah. I'm sure she kissed you back. Maybe when pigs fly, Finnick..." The dark hair girl replied and Finnick frowned.

"Things just became difficult..."

"Why?"

"Because now I'm going to have to figure out how to make pigs fly..." Finnick replied as he laid back down in the sand, his hands behind his head.

* * *

She tilted up the canteen and watched as the last three water drops fell from the lip of the silver metal. They dripped down onto her tongue and her mouth ran dry like she had just swallowed cotton.

Water. Shade needed water. The sun had been beating down upon her the last couple of days and now she felt weakened by it. Due to the heat, she had long ago unzipped the wet suit and exposed her skin to the weather, which had turned slightly red from the sun.

She needed a sign, anything that could lead her to water. Her stomach also ached and she bent over and held her stomach. It had started cramping a couple hours ago because of the lack of food.

It had been days since the incident with the wolves happened. When the sky had grown dark, she had crawled up into a tree but she hadn't slept at all. She was too shaken from the wolves and now the fatigue was catching up to her. She could feel heavy black bags under her eyes and she rubbed them like a child.

"Haymitch..." She called out weakly. Her voice cracked from the lack of water and her throat felt as dry as a desert. She coughed and stumbled a bit as she limped along. Her hand grasped onto the bark of a tree and it dug into the soft skin of her palm. "Haymitch, please!" She croaked out and collapsed to the ground.

The sun was just so hot and she was so, so thirsty. Her head lolled to the side and Shade groaned one again.

Her nose wrinkled up and she refused to think his name. She refused to speak it. How she could even think about him at a time like this baffled her. He knew that she would eventually need water and he knew that Shade would be desperate.

She could almost see him now. Chilled canteen in hand, water sloshing from the lip of the opening at the top. He was smirking down at her, that shit faced grin tempting her to take the water that was offered. Bastard.

"God damn it, Haymitch..." She groaned and shut her eyes. Why wasn't her mentor trying to help her? Was it because he was only supporting Peeta and Katniss in the Games?

Or was it because she was near water? So near that she should be able to find it?

Shade suddenly heard a twig snap and her eyes weakly opened. Slowly moving her to rest on her hunting knife, she only saw a flash of white. Her eyes weakly followed the streak and then she couldn't help but feel drawn in by it.

Barely standing, she walked along the path on shaky legs to where the flash of white had disappeared to. Even in her state of dehydration, she was able to follow the trail the creature had left behind. The ferns before her were knocked down and a couple times, she could see fine white hairs hanging on the branches along the path. Stumbling along, she saw the white again. Turning and walking through the trees, she followed it.

She saw it again and followed. And again.

She finally stopped when she heard the trickling of water. The sweetest noise in the entire universe.

Following the noise, Shade about cried as the stream came into view. She stumbled forward into the deep water and she drank deeply after submerging her head in the cool liquid. The current of the water pushed passed her, causing her clothing to drift slightly. She laughed out loud and reached into her pack. Shade filled her canteen and relaxed inside the cool water.

Haymitch only shook his head and chuckled quietly before leaning back in his chair. Effie had been looking at him incredulously only moments before because he had been screaming at the TV. He just kept telling her to follow her intuition. Or she could just follow the wolf.

Her hair now stuck to her face as she climbed out of the water and sprawled out onto the lush green grass beside the water's edge. She felt so much better now. The blood from the District 7 Victor was washed away and her clothes were no longer stiff from the blood.

Her hands were now clean and her conscience felt better now that the evidence was gone.

This river was perfectly placed in the arena. She was in the shallows and the other bank was a good distance away, probably fifty yards. It was odd but it kind of reminded her of the river from last year. Where Katniss jumped in after the fire had occurred.

_Just a coincidence..._

An idea suddenly struck her as she saw a flash of silver race passed through the stream, nearly bumping into her toes. After gathering her new found strength, she hauled herself from the ground and walked over to one of the trees. Shade broke off a low hanging branch and tied her knife to the end with the string that she found on the inside of the hood of her jacket.

Looking like a complete idiot, she splashed around in the water with her homemade spear until she finally managed to catch two fish.

Arena: 1. Shade: 0.

The girl was sure she just lost half of her sponsors by playing around in the water. After she had brought the two small fish ashore, Shade found more sticks and managed to construct a proper pile of kindling for a fire. Now, for the fire part. Watch her catch half the arena on fire.

Pulling the flint from her pocket, she began to scrape the stones together until she was finally able to make a small flame. The fire consumed the small pile of dried twigs and she placed thicker wood atop that.

In a short time, Shay had the two fish cooked and ready to be eaten. As she sat munching on her latest meal, she thought about her goal for tomorrow. She really needed a bow so that she could get real food. Or, she could always stick with plan B and hunt some berries with her knife. Yippee.

As the blonde finished off her first fish and began eating the second one, something shifted in the trees and she immediately reached for the sword by her side. It moved in the underbrush and she watched it with curiosity.

The creature emerged from the trees and sat down on its rear, just watching her. It's stark white fur rustled in the gentle breeze. It made no move to come closer and the two just stared back at each other. Neither blinking.

The snow white wolf sat quietly and she suddenly shifted under his gaze. He didn't seem to be afraid of Shay but he didn't seem to trust her either.

Raising the fish up to her mouth, she watched as his eyes followed. She took a bite out of it before smiling and chewing. "Do you want this?" Shay asked and held the fish out. She watched as the wolf flared his nostrils while he smelled the meat before slowly standing and taking a few hesitant steps towards the human girl.

"It smells good, doesn't it?" She asked and smiled when he took a few more steps forward. He was probably only 15 steps away and the girl wanted to reach out and feel just how soft his fur was. The wolf grumbled quietly before lowering himself onto the ground. Looking between the fish in her hands and back to the wolf across from her, she sighed. He had saved her after all. But, how?

She'll never know.

Shade only had part of the fish left anyway and her was stomach was full, considering how much water she had drank. Sighing, she pulled the fish from the stick and held it in the palm of her hand. The wolf sniffed the air and inched forward on his stomach. Shade laughed quietly and beckoned him forward.

"Come on..." She prompted and waved the fish around. The wolf was only a few feet away now and he was stretching out his neck, trying to get the food without getting any closer to her. "I won't hurt you..." She told him quietly as he took that last couple steps closer and carefully plucked the fish from her outstretched hand. The wolf chomped on the food and while he was preoccupied, Shade reached a hand over.

She was about to stroke the top of his head when his ears flattened and he growled. Her hand immediately retracted and she leaned away from him. He went back to chewing on the fish when she was tempted again. He growled at her once more and she finally just dropped her hand. So, he didn't like being touched.

_One last time..._

She reached a hand out and quickly placed it on his head before he could react. The wolf stopped chewing for a few moments and only watched her hand stoke his fuzzy head. His fur was extremely soft against her palm, probably the finest of any animal she had ever felt. She continued to stroke his head for a few more moments before slowly withdrawing her hand.

She swallowed nervously and sat next to the wolf. Shade wondered if she had just made a terrible mistake and now she was going to pay for it. Closing her eyes, she waited for the wolf to snap at her but she was surprised when she felt a sticky tongue begin to mop over her face. The wolf suddenly jumped on her and pressed her down into the cool grass. It continued to assault her with his sloppy kisses and she laughed loudly and tried to desperately get the fuzzy beast off her.

"Alright! That's enough!" She cried out before pushing the animal off her. He stumbled back a few feet but his ears were perked up and his tail swished back and forth in happiness. Groaning, she whipped a hand over her face to rid it off the wolf saliva and grimaced. _Yuck._

Glancing around, she realized that it had gotten dark when she wasn't paying attention. One moment it had been bright out and now it was just dark.

Shade had been looking forward to the night time and she watched as the stars slowly appeared from the darkness. The sun was just setting behind the horizon and the sky was turning a royal shade of blue. Twilight blue. Just like his...

_Boom_.

Both Shade and the wolf jumped as the sound echoed through the silent woods. She reached for her sword immediately and the wolf scrambled to his feet. His amber eyes drifted around them and his ears twitched. He was listening intently for anything approaching. Her heart beat picked up in her chest and she held her breath.

When she heard nothing approaching, she dumped her canteen out on the fire and she darted down to the water's edge for a moment. The water sloshed into the silver container and she looked around frantically, watching for anyone who was approaching.

Scrambling back up the rocky surface near the water's edge, she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulders. Looking back around, nothing moved in the trees and she relaxed slightly. For all she knew, the kill could have happened on the other side of the island.

She didn't see the wolf anywhere and she took that as a sign. He decided to ditch so maybe she should leave as well. Running off, she quietly made her way through the trees, hardly making a noise as she moved through the underbrush. Finding a suitable tree, she didn't waist time climbing up it and now she sat perched on the limb.

Pushing off of her current residence, she grasped onto a higher branch on the opposing tree across the way and hauled herself up. This was a safe enough distance from the ground. She would be safe enough.

She pulled her jacket out of her bag and brought it around her shoulders. Placing the woolen hat over her ears, she tucked her legs under the blanket and settled in for the night. But, she may have forgotten one small detail.

* * *

Shade screamed as she felt the ground fall away underneath her. Gravity took a hold of her and she began falling towards the ground. Reaching out to anything, her hand grasped onto a branch in the tree that she had been sleeping in. As she hung there momentarily, she watched as her blanket fluttered to the ground about thirty feet under her.

She had almost fallen out of the tree to her death. Yikes. What a good way to go: Death by tree.

She placed her other hand on the limb and pulled herself up once more. She could almost hear Haymitch screaming at her, telling her that she should have tied herself in before drifting off. Once seated again, she sighed and moped a hand over her face. Her stomach suddenly growled and she rubbed a lazy hand over it.

"Is it really so much to ask for you to send me a bow?" Shade asked up to the sky. He hadn't sent her water yesterday. He hadn't sent her any kind of food. Nothing. She really needed a bow because she would not splash around in the water again like yesterday. Unless it was absolutely necessary. Then she would make a fool out of herself once again if the need arose.

Deciding to descend the tree in search of food, she was a bit glad when her feet were back on the ground after the terror that had just ensued. Taking out her hunting knife, she made a mark on the tree that was her most recent home. Walking back towards the water's edge, she decided to follow the river, considering how it would eventually dump into ocean and lead her back towards the cornucopia.

But what was on the other side of the river? She stood at the water's edge and just looked across. Something had to be over there. And if this was technically two entirely different arenas, shouldn't there be two Cornucopias?

Pondering this, Shade immediately just turned around. That side of the river felt dangerous somehow. Ominous. She began walking away, leaving that eerie feeling behind her, along with the river.

* * *

Cato's head snapped to the side when he heard the scream. It had to be a girl. It was too high pitched to be anyone else. And it sounded close, maybe just across the river in the darker part of the wolves.

It was still in the early hours of the morning and the loud scream had pulled Cato from his dreamless sleep.

He sat up and listened again. The scream wasn't followed by any other noise. No cannon. No other screams. No nothing. His mind randomly flickered to the girl from Twelve. The scream was definitely from a girl and he seriously considered if it was her or not. How had she even gotten away from the wolves? Last he saw, she was being chased down by a pack of the beasts and there was no hope for her. However, he was surprised that her face hadn't turned up in the sky yet.

Cato wondered if someone had gotten a hold of her and she was injured but managed to somehow get away. Or if she was only startled by something.

"What was that?"

Cato's eyes suddenly flickered over to the thirteen year old boy had been sleeping quietly next to Clove. He had his small arms wrapped around her waist and she snuggled in closer to him. The tall Career's nose wrinkled up distaste.

_Really Clove? Really? Snuggling up with a tribute from 12! From 12! It could have been any other person!_ Hell, she could have picked Marvel and Cato would have been okay. But no. This kid was scum. He had left his own district partner to be with someone who claimed to love him. Even Cato could see through Clove's bullshit.

Pssh. Love. There was no such thing as love. It was _all_ bullshit. Not just Clove's. Everyone's.

Cato would have to talk to his district partner about it soon. In private. Away from the kid.

"Just another tribute. It will probably be dead before noon..." He replied and the kid seemed to be uneasy. Kaz swallowed thickly before risking a glance up at the older tribute.

"It sounded like a girl. Do you think it's Shay?"

"I don't know. Does it look like I'm psychic?" Cato snapped and the boy flinched.

"Go back to sleep!" Cato demanded and the boy complied. He shifted his grip on Clove who grumbled quietly before snuggling up against him further. All the while, Cato resisted the urge to barf.

* * *

After about an hour after heading northwest, Shade had found a bush with berries on it. They were simple gooseberries. Extremely sour and bitter. The taste was a bit unpleasant but she eventually got used to it. Her belly was somewhat full and she decided to sit up in a tree and sleep a bit. She was lucky that she had even found food.

Shade had been asleep for what seemed about two seconds when she heard the rustling of feathers. Turning her head in the direction of the noise, she yelped as a flock of colorful birds flew past her. She swatted wildly at them and almost lost her balance a few times. Then below her, animals raced past.

Deer, raccoon, even a couple of wolves. When she looked in the direction they were running from, her eyes widened.

Haymitch stood up from his spot on the soft chair and began to pace. Shade had climbed back up into a tree to take a midday rest after searching for food. "Now is not the time to sleep to sleep, sweetheart..." Her mentor said and threw back the rest of his drink.

Flames lapped at the trees in the distance and she watched as they came closer. Shade could already feel some of the heat and the morning chill was no longer in the air. She began to sweat with her hat on and she basically jumped from the tree. Flying through the air, the smaller branches below her whipped her in the face. She landed on the ground with a hard thud that sent vibrations up her shins that traveled up her spine. With a cry of pain, she collapsed to the ground. Laying there for a moment, she waited for the pain to cease before she sat up.

The flames were much closer to her than she expected and her hazel eyes widened. Pulling herself up from the ground, she hissed in pain before she began to limp away. Shade knew that she would have to hurry along, knowing that the flames would catch up quickly with the Gamemakers behind the wheel. The animals ran beside her for a moment before they pulled away and left her to her death. Risking a glance over her shoulder, she found that the flames were rapidly catching up and were only a few feet behind her.

A flaming tree suddenly fell to the ground in front of her. She slipped and fell on her rear in surprise, all the while crying out in fear. Scrambling up from the ground, she turned in the direction that she had just been running. She didn't know where she was going, she just ran.

Trees began falling around her and flames suddenly shot from a tree she was passing. She tried her best to dodge the flame but was unsuccessful as she felt it lap at her wet suit. An ear-shattering cry escaped her throat but it was lost in the roar of the flames growing ever closer. On instinct, she clutched her left shoulder but immediately pulled her hand away because of the searing pain. Not having time to inspect her wound, she tried her best to ignore it before running off once more.

Her shoulder burned and she gritted her teeth, swallowing the pain. Her eyes flashed to the surroundings again and she saw a flash of white. Knowing what it was, she followed it. Animals had a sort of intuition and if Shay followed him, it would be her best chance to get out alive.

Sprinting after him despite the dull pain in her skins, she clutched at her shoulder and stumbled over a few weeds that were in her path. She pumped her legs faster as she heard the crackle of the flames grow closer. Sweat dripped down the back of her neck and her hair felt dampened underneath her hat.

Haymitch flinched when Shay had to leap out of way of another falling tree. She continued to slip and slide around on the damp leaves and her mentor only rocked back on his heels. Her face was being broadcast all across Panem right now and everyone could see the extent of her wound. She got hit directly with a flamethrower and the burnt flesh was not a pretty sight.

Changing directions, she only ran around the tree before sprinting in the same direction. She was facing east so that meant she was getting closer to the river again. The flames roared around her and her heart beat even more rapidly, if possible.

Just as the heat of the flames became unbearable and she was sure she would be swallowed up, the ground suddenly disappeared below the girl and she was falling, another scream coming from her throat. Her heart stopped beating for a moment but it restarted when she spotted the blue pool of water beneath her. Her body sailed through the air and her legs plunged into the swift current. The cold water caused her lungs to tighten once more.

Resurfacing, she gasped for air and after a moment of being pulled down river, she found her baring. From the water, she watched as the flames lapped at the edge of the forest where she had jumped from and she swallowed nervously. That was too close.

Shade began paddling to the side, letting most of the current do the work. Upon reaching the shallows, her arm stung so much. She hissed in pain as she pulled herself ashore and when she opened her eyes, the wolf was sitting on the dry bank watching the girl struggle.

"Thanks..." she said quietly. _Great, now my sponsors think I'm even crazier, talking to a damn wolf._

Climbing out of the water, she relaxed back on the shore for a moment. Her chest was still heaving from all the running and she was just plain exhausted. Her arm was still throbbing painfully and she knew it would hurt even more once the adrenalin began to wear off. Reaching up a shaking hand, she was scared to pull away the charred fabric. Shade slowly pulled it back to reveal a huge burn that ran from her elbow up to her collar-bone.

She bit her lip when she removed the wet suit, trying to conceal a scream. It appeared as though some of the fabric had melted to her skin. A few loud whimpers left her voice box and she sighed heavily when the coat was finally off, taking some skin with it. She laid back on her right side, leaving her bad shoulder facing the sky. Shutting her eyes, she just wanted the pain to go away. She rolled around slightly, cradling her elbow to her chest. Hissing sounds escaped through her lips as she willed the pain to leave when it just wouldn't.

Another miserable cry echoed off the trees. Her eyes and lungs stung from all the smoke. Her lungs still heaved from the running. She rubbed her eyes with her free hand, trying to get rid of the hazy layer of ash that seemed to be covering her hazel irises. Tears streamed down her face as her eyes tried to drain themselves of the foreign substance.

Lying there on the ground, Shade felt the adrenaline leave her and she simply stared up at the smoke cloud that billowed into the sky. Once her heart returned to a normal speed and her lungs could expand fully, she groaned as she sap up. Her body just ached from the beating that she had taken. Scratching the back of her head, she lifted her eyes from the ground and glanced back to the water's edge.

A single green lily pad drifted silently towards her on the water, a small package, it seemed, placed atop the floating plant. Shay watched as if floated further the shallows and she suddenly felt as though she was being watched.

Her eyes scanned the tree line until they locked with two pairs of dark brown ones. One of the figures that she could make out was huge while the other was extremely small and fragile. Both forms only lingered for a moment before Shade blinked they both were gone. Shade lost their dark mops of hair in the shadows of the trees and she watched for another moment, willing them to come back.

After a moment, curiosity got the best of her. Shade sniffed and whipped her nose to rid it of the snot before slowly making her way back down into the shallows, holding her wounded arm to her chest. She slowly waded into the waist deep water and managed to catch the lily pad as it slowly floated past. Her hands wrapped around the small leaf wrappings and she peeled the layers back.

Inside was a puddle of purple goop that smelled strangely like a mixture of flowers and herbs but lilac stood out to her the most. Her head snapped up to her surroundings again, making sure danger was still nowhere to be seen. Dipping her fingers into the purple substance, she looked from her shoulder to the paste.

_Here goes nothing..._

Shade shut her eyes as she applied the purple stuff, waiting for the pain to come. Oddly enough, none came at all. In fact, it felt better. A cooling sensation washed over her burns and she sighed in relief. The pain wasn't gone but the cream seemed to numb it and she smiled slightly.

"Thank you..." She said quietly as she smeared more cream onto her shoulder.

Haymitch laughed and rubbed a hand over his face. It seems that Chaff had spoken with his tributes. And they were on his side.

* * *

**Well there you have it! I got atleast one review for the last chapter and I would like to thank Kurskin for the lovely review. I would also like to thank an unnamed girl who doesn't have an account. If you are reading this, thank you so very much for the inspiring email. And don't worry. I'm working on it ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Third Person's POV**

Glancing up towards the sky, she realised that it was getting later in the afternoon. The sun was getting lower in the sky and Shade couldn't sleep in a tree because, well, she couldn't climb with her shoulder burnt to a crisp.

It just felt heavy as it hung from her body and she could hardly move it. No. She didn't _want_ to move it, for fear of the pain that would come back.

Shade began walking at a steady yet slow pace. Her legs still ached from jumping out of the tree and she nearly screamed when her stomach rumbled loudly. She was on high alert again and she wasn't expecting that. She rubbed her right hand over the hungry stomach but to no avail.

Deciding to rest for the moment, she cursed and tossed her bag down against the trunk of a tree. She leaned up against the base and then slid down to rest.

Pulling her hat from her pocket, Shade put it on in preparation for the night's chilly air. She had removed it earlier because of the heat from the fire but now the chill was back despite the roaring inferno from earlier.

She wasn't going to be able to make a fire and she could tell that tonight, it was going to be cold. The Gamemakers would be sure of that. She slowly pulled her jacket around her shoulders and leaned back against the tree. She draped the blanket over her legs and she was about to shut her eyes when she felt something fall on her feet.

Opening her eyes quickly, her hand went to the handle of her sword but she sighed in relief. The wolf's white fur shimmered in the moonlight as she stood before him. She frowned and looked down.

A large dead rabbit lay near her boots. Her eyes flicked to the wolf and his tongue was lolled out of his mouth and his fluffy tail swished side to side in greeting. When she didn't move to pick up the rabbit, he whined and nudged her boot with his nose.

"Alright, alright! You mangy lump of fur!" She swatted at his nose and he barked before bouncing back a few feet. She smiled slightly and shook her head at the wolf. At least he was friendly. Shade groaned and slowly stood up, her legs and back aching from the long day filled with running.

She tottered slightly but regained her balance easily with the help of the tree behind her. She picked her pack up and slung it over her good shoulder. She weakly grasped the rabbit in her left hand.

"Well, come on!" She waved her free hand and the wolf bounded over to her.

"I honestly don't understand why you feel the need to follow me..." She said and looked down at the ridiculously fuzzy creature. He only panted up at her, his face pulling in up what appeared to be a grin. Shade only shook her head again and the two quietly made their way through the tall grass, the wolf a few feet ahead. Bending down, she picked up a few stray pieces of wood for a fire while cradling them to her body with her right hand.

When she bent down to pick up the last piece she would need for a proper fire, Shade heard a loud string of curse words. Her hand stopped midair and she turned her head in the direction of the noise.

Upon listening, the curses came again but a groan accompanied it which was much louder than the curse words. She placed the wood down on the ground and reached into her belt. Drawing her sword out, she carried it in her right hand. Creeping through the trees, she avoided anything that would make noise when stepped on.

_I don't think that's such a good idea..._ A voice said and Shay stopped in her tracks and looked around. Where had that voice come from?

No one else was in the clearing but she could have sworn that she had heard someone talking to her. _I'm just tired..._ She thought to herself. She shook the thought off and continued on. When she stepped into the clearing, Shade about fell over from surprise.

Of course it would be him.

Cato was sitting against the base of an oak tree. He was clutching onto his leg, his face in a twisted in pain. She noticed that his skin was a few shades lighter than normal, his face slightly drained of its color.

When Shade entered the clearing fully, she saw him tense up immediately. For about two seconds, two _fleeting_ seconds, he was different. Cato was no longer in the Games.

Instead, he was replaced with a small blonde boy who was quietly whimpering. His big blue eyes were red from the tears that ran down his cheeks and he looked like he needed his mother. When she looked into his blue irises, her heart immediately melted and she felt a strong wave of motherly protection wash over her.

She wanted to protect this unspoiled child from all the dangers of the arena. From the Reaping. From the Games. From everything and everyone.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he was back. The beautiful little boy was replaced with the six-foot, four-inch Career from District 2. His monstrous form lay in the smashed ferns, his face fighting to stay in a semi-normal expression instead of a pain filled one.

"Perfect timing, Twelve. You can come finish the... job...!" He swallowed thickly, his voice catching in his throat from the apparent pain he was in. Her eyes looked over his sweaty form and they widened as they found the large hole in his pants.

Angry flesh easily caught her eye and the blisters were weepy with a milky liquid. He narrowed his eyes at the girl and tried covering the wound with his hand, only to end up hissing in pain from touching it.

_That doesn't look good..._ Shay heard the voice again and only glanced over her shoulder but didn't say anything. She didn't want Cato to think she was crazy.

Cato cursed quietly under his breath. He could hear someone coming. He heard their quiet footsteps and the Career was able to contain the whimpers to his throat. He had been taught to block out pain at the Academy, but this was a whole new pain. This was a constant pain. They never really had to deal with burns.

"Where are the rest of the Careers?" She asked, her right hand gripping the long sword he had seen before. Her hazel eyes scanned the surrounding forest but nothing caught her eye.

"Not here." He hissed.

"Well obviously. They just left you here?"

"No, we were separated by the fire..."

"And they haven't come looking for you?"

"No..." Cato didn't like where this was going.

"So they _did_ leave you!" Shay exclaimed, having a strong sense of triumph wash over her. She smirked upon seeing his discomfort after everything that he had put her through. He deserved it and besides, it was nice to know that someone shared the same pain that she did.

He didn't know if he should be relieved or more worried that it was Shade that walked into the clearing. It was a bit comical to see her standing in the woods, a woolen hat crooked on her head and her face covered in dirt and mud.

She seemed to be doing well enough. Despite her rugged appearance, she looked healthy enough, save for the paleness to her cheeks but maybe that was only the light playing tricks.

And Cato wondered if he should be worried. Shade had cut down Blight easily enough. She didn't even seem fazed when they had her caught up in a tree. Her stature had remained cool and calm, as if she had expected them to show up eventually. That cool demeanor was on her face now but Cato saw surprise flood her eyes upon finding him.

Looking her over, Cato noticed something odd in her other hand. "What's that for?" He asked as he nodded towards the dead rabbit in her grasp.

"Food..." Shade slowly hid it behind her back and the Career grimaced.

"You really eat that crap?"

"Some of us aren't fortunate enough to receive real meat from sponsors so we have to hunt for our food!" She explained as she placed her things on the ground. "Or, your mentor might just be stubborn and not send you food because APPARENTLY, EATING IS FROWNED UPON IN THIS ESTABLISHMENT!" Shade yelled up at the sky, trying to make her point to Haymitch.

"Hey! Keep your voice down!"

"Why? Nobody is in this area. We're alright, big boy..." She said as she gestured to her surroundings with her sword. It was silent between them for a moment before Cato's curiosity got the best of him.

"You... You caught that?"

"Yes...?"

"Yes?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed and he groaned before messaging his temple. She was... weird.

"Are you all there?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you crazy?" He raised an eyebrow in her direction and she frowned.

"No...?"

"No?"

"Exactly!" She exclaimed and he groaned once more. She was so confusing and he was tired. Tired and confused didn't mix well. Cato didn't have time for her shit.

She dropped her pack on the ground, along with the rabbit, and began walking towards him. He tensed and tried standing up but failed miserably. He was only on his feet for a few moments before he face planted in the dirt. This earned him a snort from Shay and he pushed himself back up against the tree.

"What are you laughing at? Go ahead. Just do it! I saw how you killed Blight. You didn't even hesitate..." He said, getting into her head at the last moment.

If she was crazy, he could work with that. Psychological warfare was an easy game to play. Shade flinched when he mentioned the District 7 Victor. Looking down at her hand, she looked into the reflection of the long sword.

She still looked like herself, despite the dirt and crime. Despite the red eyes and flushed cheeks.

Her hazel eyes still seemed soft at times but it wavered easily. Just as easily as they softened, they would harden and turn into an emotionless brown wall. She wasn't a pawn in their Games. At least not yet anyway.

In disgust of that thought, she tossed the sword to the side. It stuck upwards in the dirt, handle to the sky. She made to move closer to Cato again but he only snorted. Noticing the sword that lay a few feet from the wounded Career, she moved over to it. Cato grumbled and reached for it but she only stepped on his hand as it closed around the handle of the sword.

An audible curse escaped his lips as she applied pressure to his knuckles. Despite the pain, he didn't let go. Shade bent down towards the sword and Cato thought she was going to break his fingers.

Cato was surprised, however, when she wrapped her fingers around his and gently forced his palm open. He only glanced up at Shade whose eyes were hard as stone and her face was determined as she stared down at the blade. She lifted his sword off the ground and tossed it over by her own. The blade landed sharp point down in the dirt and Shade was proud of herself.

She was two for two.

Shade looked back to him knelt down at his side. Realizing that her left hand had been on his own the entire time, she flushed before quickly removing it. Despite her red cheeks, Shade moved to pull back the shreds of his pant leg when he covered the wound with his hand.

"Let me see." She demanded but he made no move to remove his hands. "Let me see!" She repeated, her voice angry and forceful. Her hazel eyes locked onto his stony blue ones, her anger flaring. Cato's eyes were hard as well and any form of mischievousness was gone. He was dead serious.

But so was she.

Gathering her hand into a fist, she punched his hand that was on top of the wound and his face twisted up in pain again. He groaned, his eyes shutting tightly and he hissed between his teeth. "Damn it! Let me see!"

"God, you're a crazy bitch!" He cried and Shade smirked triumphantly as Cato moved his rough hands away from the wound. She slowly moved her hands over the fabric and peeled it back. His burn was very similar to her own and his skin was black in some spots. It wasn't pretty. "It's really that bad?" He asked and she hadn't realized that her face had been turned down in a scowl. Looking up to his face, her forehead relaxed some and he swore he saw her eyes soften for a moment.

"It looks like a third degree burn..." She explained slowly as she rose and walked back over to her bag. She reached inside and found the leaf package filled with the paste. Looking at the package for a moment, Shade sighed. This was the only cream she had and she didn't even have that much to begin with. She still needed to take care of herself.

Shade slowly slid her jacket off, trying valiantly to not wince as it slid over her burned shoulder. Cato's eyes watched her form the entire time. He just didn't trust her. As she slid her jacket off her left shoulder though, his eyes widened. She had a large burn that rivaled his own. His eyes darted back to her face to see that it revealed nothing and he was a bit impressed.

So she had high pain tolerance. Cool.

She placed her jacket next to her pack and the rabbit before she pulled the hunting knife from her boot, lilac cream in hand. Squatting next to Cato, she looked at his leg once more. Peering down at the ugly wound, she wrinkled up her nose. He tensed when Shay brought the knife up and she only laughed quietly.

"Relax!" Shay smirked up at him before silently cutting the fabric around it. When she pulled out the leaf wrapping however, he narrowed his eyes. "It helps, I promise..." She told him and unfolded the wrappings. Dipping her fingers into the ointment, the purple liquid was sticky and cold. She advanced forward and bent over his leg, ready to apply the cream. Just as her fingers were about to touch the sensitive skin, a hand tightly grasped her wrist.

Her eyes dangerously flashed up to his blue ones, offering up a challenge.

"If it hurts... I swear, I will-"

"If it hurts, I'll kiss it and make it better..." She said, her voice dry and humorless. She yanked her hand from his grasp and grumbled under her breath before moving back to his leg. She began to apply the lilac substance and the smell invaded her nostrils. At first, Cato's leg muscle was tense under her touch but he then relaxed and when she looked up at his face, his eyes were closed and his breathing was steady and peaceful. The pain must be ebbing away.

After the wound was covered with the purple cream, she wiped the remaining substance that was on her fingers onto her own shoulder. "Do you have any bandages?" He asked, nodding to the bag on his shoulders.

"No."

"Alright, just don't move your leg for awhile..." She commanded. Moving to make a fire, she left Cato in the clearing and returned a few minutes later, her arms full of wood to fuel the flame. She assembled the logs into a pile and after a few minutes, had a small fire burning. Despite what happened earlier in the day, Shade was grateful for the warmth it brought.

Sitting down in the grass, Cato watched as she quietly skinned the rabbit and began cooking it over the fire.

"Why are you helping me?" Her eyes flashed up to boy across the clearing and she didn't really know how to answer. Instead, she just opted to look up at the sky. The artificial stars in the sky twinkled and her lips weakly twitched up into a smile. The large moon shone brightly in the night, lighting up their surroundings so someone could easily see in the night.

"I don't know! I-I'm a good person..." She replied sarcastically, causing him to chuckle slightly. "Haymitch is probably screaming at me right now to just 'Kill the weak bastard when he's down!' but I haven't yet. There goes all my sponsors... But, it's not like I had any to begin with, especially after the fishing incident..." She said, her voice emptying of all humor and she rubbed the back of her neck. Cato only snorted and leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree.

"You tried to go fishing?"

"Spear fishing, actually. I don't recommend it..." They lapsed back into silence again but Shade's attention was focused on browning the rabbit that was held over the flames.

"I see the fire took a nice chunk out of you, too..." Her eyes darted up to him again after they had been reclaimed by the flames. His blue eyes were intently looking at her shoulder. Her face heated up and she placed a hand on it, trying to cover it but it was too painful.

"Uh, yeah. I got caught sleeping in a tree when it happened..." Shade replied honestly, feeling a second blush creep up her neck. It was kind of embarrassing, having to admit to a Career that you almost died because you decided to take a nap in the middle of the day.

He listened intently before nodding and she gently rubbed her shoulder, wincing slightly. They both grew silent and the crackling of the small fire between them was the only sound.

There was suddenly a sharp intake of breath and Cato grabbed her dagger from where she had left it when she was fixing him up. He pointed it in her direction and her forehead creased with worry.

"What?"

"Shh! Don't move!"

"What?!"

"Don't move! There is a mutt right behind you!" It took a moment for his words to register and she slowly turned her head, fear filling her gut. Shade was prepared to get her head ripped off but when she saw who it was, she only laughed quietly.

Her fuzzy wolf companion stood between the trees behind her, his tongue lolled out of his open mouth. Cato looked at her like she was crazy and continued to hold the knife up.

"It's alright, he's friendly..." Shade said as she ripped off one of the rabbits front legs and held it out to him. The amber eyed beast walked over to her and gingerly took the piece of meat in his teeth before lying down beside her and chewing on it. She patted the top of his head and he swished his tail in a silent response. Ripping a back leg off the rabbit, she rose and walked over to Cato. She held the piece of meat out to him and he only looked at it.

"Really? It's not poisoned. You watched me make it..." She grumbled and set it down on his lap. Returning to her spot, she took her own share of food before reclining back, the fluffy wolf by her side. Cato's eyes never left the creature and Shade sighed.

"How has he not killed you?" Cato asked suddenly as he took a huge bite out of the rabbit leg. He chewed and nodded, seeming to like what he was tasting. Maybe rabbit wasn't so terrible after all. She only shrugged and continued to chew her own food for a few more moments.

"I don't know but he's pretty intent on following me..." She explained and watched the wolf snap the bone in half. He munched on it quietly and the air between the both of them was empty. After a while, Shay yawned and stretched her sore back out. It still ached but it was nothing compared to when she had fallen out of the tree. "Was Kaz alive? You know... When you were still with Clove and the other Careers...?"

"Yeah. He seemed fine. Happy even..." Cato replied quietly, his blue eyes trained on the flames.

"Good... I'm surprised he isn't dead yet..."

"Yeah, that makes two of us..." Shade thought about his remark for a moment before quietly laughing. Her laughter picked up and she shook her head before looking at the ground.

"You are terrible..."

"I know..." Cato replied and let a slow smirk spread across his lips. She only shook her head again, hoping that her movement would keep the blush away. Shade laughed quietly again and Cato's lips twitched up in a slight smile. "It's just one of my finer qualities!" He said as he finished his rabbit leg and placed his hands behind his head to relax.

Suddenly, Cato felt a yawn escape his lips. He fought back but in the end, the loud yawn came out and probably startled half the forest. He smiled in contentment, loving the feeling of the warmth of the fire on his skin and the fullness of his stomach.

"If you're tired, you can sleep..." He looked up at the girl across the fire. She was sitting with her back against a tree, watching him with careful eyes. He narrowed his own eyes slightly before smirking.

"Hey, you know my leg still hurts and you said that-"

"I'm not going to kiss your leg!" Shade protested loudly and then slapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes darted to the tree line and she listened for anyone who was approaching.

"It doesn't have to be my leg! You know... These hurt, too..." He pointed at his lips which were turned up in a smirk as he watched her squirm uncomfortably.

"Shut up!" She growled and Cato smirked again. She was so easy to make mad and it was fun to watch her cheeks flush from his sly words.

"Oh come on! Odair gets some but I don't?" He teased again and watched as her nose wrinkled up.

"Leave Finnick out of this!" She snapped right back and she crossed her arms over her chest. He only chuckled and shook his head. She would be fun to mess with. The wolf suddenly made a quiet groaning noise before standing up, walking over, and sitting in Shay's lap.

"Hey!" She protested but couldn't do anything as the beast put his whole weight down on her. She grunted and dug her hands into his fur, trying to push him off. Instead, he let out another huff before he laid down on the ground, his head between his paws. Cato only snorted in amusement before adjusting his sitting position.

He suddenly felt something drip onto his head and in curiosity, looked up. Another wet droplet landed on his cheek and trickled down. Reaching up, he touched his fingers to it and frowned. Then, there was a flash of lightning, followed by a bone rattling clap of thunder. It suddenly started pouring rain and Cato lost the good mood he had before.

His lips dropped down into a frown and he just let his spiky hair get soaked. There was a loud hissing noise and he watched their fire go out and darkness engulfed them. The sky flashed again and the thunder rolled. As the noise quieted down, he heard a whimper and squinted through the darkness.

The lightning quickly lit up the sky once more to reveal Shay, eyes closed and hands over her ears. The wolf was nowhere to be seen and she had her legs pulled up to her chest.

"Twelve?" The girl didn't answer, instead she shut her eyes more tightly. Cato's patience was rapidly emptying and he frowned once more. What was wrong with her? "Twelve?" He repeated but again she didn't answer and another round of thunder and lightning flashed through the arena.

He sighed and wiped some water from his eyes before trying to stand up. He pushed himself up using the tree trunk and straightened out his stiff leg. He grunted as he placed weight on it and he was surprised to find that the pain had lessened.

Taking a few unsteady steps forward, he began walking towards the shaking female. Her hat and hair was now thoroughly soaked and the golden strands stuck to her face, making her look like a drowned rat. On his way past, he picked up both their swords and held them in his hands.

Upon reaching her, he stuck her lighter blade into the ground beside her. She didn't seem to notice how close he was and he noticed that her shoulders were shaking slightly. From the cold rain or from something else entirely, he wasn't sure.

Cato was unsure what to do, so he gently tapped her good shoulder with his blade. She flinched and opened her eyes. The lightning flashed at the perfect moment and lit up the sky, showing a scowling Cato with a gleaming sword in his hand.

_He's coming for you..._ The voice from before cooed, making her spine tingle. She looked up and it appeared that Cato had stepped right out of her nightmares. She opened her mouth but the scream refused to escape her lungs.

"Twelve?" He asked, his voice confused. He took a step forward and her eyes widened with fear. Cato stepped back for a moment when he saw the look in her eyes. The terror. Normally he would be pleased with himself for bring terror to people's hearts but this was different. He reached a hand out in an attempt to calm her down.

_He's gonna hurt you!_

"Get away from me!" She screamed and stumbled away from him. The voice was telling her to get away and she still scanned the surroundings for the person who was screaming at her. Not watching where she was going, she slipped on some leaves and fell into mud, sending it spraying in all directions. It covered her face and torso, some even getting into her hair.

Cato stepped out from behind the tree he had been behind, swords still flashing in the lightning. For a moment, she could have sworn that the liquid dripping from the shinning blade was blood. When she looked down, she realized she was covered in a dark substance. Her own blood. Looking down at her hands, she saw the dark substance again which felt sticky and her hazel eyes widened. She tried wiping it on her clothes to get rid of the gross feeling.

"Don't!" She screamed and began backing away from him. A feeling of dread filled her stomach and she shut her eyes tightly again and her hands knotted up into her dark golden hair.

Cato stepped closer to her and her eyes were shut again, her shoulders shaking. He was still uncertain as to what to do and used his sword as a support as he knelt down beside her. He groaned as his leg protested but it relaxed when his knee touched the muddy ground. He reached out, his large hand wrapping around her small wrist. He pulled her hand away from her ear. He swallowed and the rain continued to trickle down his face.

"Shade?" Her hazel eyes slowly opened and her nose wasn't wrinkled anymore. She looked up at him in wonder. He had just used her real name. Not Twelve. She swallowed and wanted to tell him what was wrong but couldn't. She hated storms. They were her biggest fear.

_Your blood is all over him... _The voice called out and she looked down at his clothes. The wet suit was covered in the dark substance and her eyes widened. Her fears continued to make her believe that the mood was the scarlet liquid.

"Blood... Blood..." She pointed at his clothes with a shaky finger. Cato looked down at his muddy clothes and frowned. What blood?

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." She said and she reached out and began to clean the mud from his shirt. Her hazel eyes seemed to be glazed over as she whipped the mud from his clothes. He grasped her wrists tightly and shook her slightly.

"Look at me!" Her hazel eyes widened and she looked up at him, terrified. He released her wrist but only for a moment and she immediately began to wipe the "blood" off his clothes again.

Reeling his hand back, he poised for a strike and swung. His hand connected solidly with her cheek with a loud crack, her head snapping to the side in the process. Her wet hair whipped around her head and if it wasn't for Cato's grip on her wrists, she would have fallen over into the mood once again.

Her cheek stung like mad but her hazel eyes focused on the crisp green ferns on her right. What had just happened? It felt as though she was going crazy. Her mind changed everything to make it look sinister and deadly. It had been like she was living in her own nightmare.

She realized that her wrists were being grasped tightly and turned back around. "Cato?" She asked quietly and he nodded, something odd moving in his blue irises. His grip on her wrist lessened some and she slowly started coming back to reality.

She blinked a couple times, trying to get ride of the terror filled haze she had been in. She looked down at herself and realized they were both covered in mud. Not blood. But, she could have sworn that the sticky, scarlet liquid had covered her torso just moments ago.

"Let's get out of the rain..." He said over the sound of the rain and she slowly nodded. He began to push himself up from the ground using his sword but his leg protested and he was about to go back down but he felt hands on his shoulders. With Shay's help, he steadied himself before she removed her hands and pushed some of her hair from her face.

Shay was about ready to give him help and support some of his weight but he held up his hand to stop her.

"I got it..." He said, his blue eyes set with determination. He began to move off into the trees, slowly but surely. The female grabbed her sword from the ground and raced back into the clearing from before, snatching up her supplies. She then raced after him, his footprints easy to spot because of the muddy forest floor. She finally caught up to him and another round of thunder and lightning echoed through the arena. She shut her eyes tightly for a few moments, trying to block out her fear.

Peeta.

He had always been with her during storms. And now he wasn't. Shade swallowed the lump in her throat and began walking in step with the Career. She couldn't break down. Not any worse than she already did. She couldn't break down with him around. He would use it to his advantage.

"Where are we going?" She asked, her voice barely coming out as a whisper. She looked up to Cato for an answer, which he didn't. For a moment she wondered if he had actually heard what she said.

"There's a cave up here. It shouldn't be that much further..." He called over the rain once again and her eyes immediately scanned the surroundings for the shelter. So he had heard her timid question. She nodded slowly and watched as he walked through the trees. His back quickly disappeared into the darkness but her feet wouldn't budge. She didn't want to go with him.

She just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. Cry because of the storms. Cry because she missed Peeta. And Katniss. Even Finnick. She missed his quirky attitude. She missed his flirtatiousness and his unbelievable power to make you his friend without even trying.

_You better go before he leaves you for real. Then you'll really be alone and we don't want that do we?_ Shade turned and looked around, swearing that had heard the voice. No one was around however and her stomach churned.

_Go on... Go after him! _The voice urged her and she once again looked around. Who was that?

"Are you coming, Twelve?" Her head whipped around and Cato stood between the trees, all humor gone from his features. He had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, startling her. Her heart had stopped in her chest for a moment and she finally remembered to breath. She only nodded and walked towards him, her head down.

_See? All better now..._

* * *

It was only a couple more minutes before the pair stopped outside the cave. It was a couple yards away when Cato stopped them. He made no movement, only held his hand out and didn't move. He slightly tilted his head in the direction, listening for anything inside.

Shade herself used her keen eyesight to check for any movement inside. She also watched for the flickering of flames on the walls but relaxed when she didn't see any. The seventeen year old was extremely tired and was sick of the rain. She would jump every time the storm sounded around and she just wanted to be indoors.

Cato suddenly held up his hand, clenching it into a fist. He slowly raised two fingers before hastily pointing towards the cave. Checking for danger, he began to hobble through the rain over to the cave.

What was that? Career talk?

Shade followed after him, guessing that the hand signal was for her to follow, and stepped into the dark cavern. Her footsteps echoed on the cave floor and it was extremely difficult to see. She drug her feet along the cave floor, careful as to not trip over anything.

Without being able to see anything, she bumped into something warm and tensed. Her grip on her sword tightened and she held her breath.

"Twelve?" She suddenly felt something warm on her face and realized it was fingers. Right, she was with Cato. Shade would have to get used to being with people again, after being alone for so long. They lightly touched her cheek and without thinking, reached up and grasped them in her shaky hand.

From outside, she could hear a faint beeping noise and turned her head in the direction.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

She flinched as another round of lightning and thunder rolled in. It briefly lit up the cave and she noticed Cato looking intently outside. Feeling her tense up, Cato gently squeezed her hand.

"Wait here..." He said quietly and she felt his hand leave her's after the sound of footsteps. Shade took in a shaky breath and tried to calm herself down. She was in a dark place, alone, while a thunderstorm was going on.

Cato stepped back out into the rain and followed the sound of beeping. It got louder as he neared the parachute and once he found it he sighed. It was a large package, probably something from his sponsors.

Upon picking it up, he froze. Where a large number 2 should have been printed, a 12 sat in its place. His lips turned down in a frown and he noticed a little slip of plastic on the top. He easily removed it and placed it in his pocket for later.

He entered the cave once again and opened the silver canister. Using the moonlight, he peered inside and he was a bit surprised. The container held a large bundle of firewood with kindling, a thermos, and a white towel.

"Twelve?" he called over his shoulder and his voice echoed in the cavern. There was silence for a moment before he heard her quiet footsteps. "I need the flint you have..." He explained and heard the rustling of clothing before he held his hand out. He felt another hand reach blindly from the darkness and grasped his own before it moved and he felt the sharp edges of the stone press into his skin.

Quickly assembling the supplies for the fire, he struck the flint and the cave lit up briefly before darkening again and again. When he finally got a fire started, he relaxed. The girl had finally taken a seat on the stone floor, her knees pulled up to her chest. He watched as her pupils dilated from the new light source. She had retrieved a dry blanket from her pack and had placed it on the cold ground so she could sit on it.

The warmth of the fire immediately reached his skin and he shrugged off his soaked jacket. He quickly raked his hands through his spiky hair, making it stand on end. Water sprayed in every direction, a few drops even hitting her. She blinked a few times before simply wiping them away, her face emotionless. Cato waited for some smart witted response from her but was greeted by silence.

"What was that? With the blood?" He asked quietly, as he reached back into the canister and pulled out the thermos. He suddenly remembered the note and pulled it from his pocket, not letting her see it.

"I don't know... It was like I was living in a nightmare..." She said quietly and she wiped some mud from her hands. Shade grew quiet but looked up when she felt eyes on her.

Cato's stomach was upset for a moment as he peered down at her. She looked so weak before him. Mud covered her cheeks and any other skin that was visible. This girl was completely different from the girl who he had watched on TV, so confident and charming during the interviews. The girl who had beaten his time in the obstacle course. The girl who looked so perfect and flawless in whatever dress she wore. That girl seemed to be gone. A facade.

"A nightmare?"

"Yeah... They happen to me quite often..." She explained but he hardly paid attention as he was distracted with the note that came with the parachute.

**Just hold her, asshole. -H**

Cato's lips twitched up into a smirk as he read the note. He thought it was funny how blunt Haymitch had to be, but it got his attention. Glancing over his shoulder, he opened up the thermos. Steam rose from the silver container and he inhaled deeply. Chocolate. Hot chocolate. Taking a small sip, he smiled slightly as the cocoa attacked his taste buds.

"Here, try this. It'll make you feel better..." He walked over and held the thermos down to her. She looked at for a moment before looking up at his face. He only raised his eyebrows before she took the warm mug from him. She lifted it to her nose and took a sniff. Whatever it was, it smelled good.

Bringing it to her mouth, she took a small sip and her eyes widened considerably. It was delicious! She took another long swig of the warm liquid before cradling the container in her palms.

"It's good, isn't it?" Cato asked as he walked around the fire in the center of the room. The flickering of the flames cast odd shadows on his face, making him look more sinister. "It's hot chocolate if you were wondering..."

Thunder suddenly rolled outside, causing it to echo through the cave. Shade suddenly flinched and shut her eyes tightly, her knuckles turning white as they grasped onto the warm container. Cato only watched her for a moment, confusion clearly written on his face. He reached back down into the parachute container and withdrew the large towel. He only used it to dry off his face and arms before approaching her again.

Was she scared of something? Of him? It seemed as though it dawned on him finally. Storms. Maybe... she hated severe weather?

It all made sense now. He sat down beside her and grunted as the ache in his leg returned with vengeance. He supposed the medicine he put on it washed off in the rain. Great.

When she felt someone by her side, Shade opened her eyes.

Cato was sitting next to her and he was holding what appeared to be a towel. She gratefully took it from him but dropped it in her lap for a moment. She slid her jacket off her shoulders and laid it down next to her to dry. Tossing the hat from her head, she also pulled the tie from her hair which easily fell from the sloppy braid it had been in. Her hair had turned a dark brown from the moisture but she knew that when dry, it would return to its original golden color.

She fluffed it with a towel until it was mostly dry. Shay then pulled it up into a bun and secured it with the tie from before. Using the towel, she slowly dried her face and her arms before sighing. At least she was somewhat dry now and the mud was of her face. The white cloth was covered in mud from the both of them and she scowled.

"You're scared of them aren't you?" Her hazel eyes wearily drifted to Cato by her side. "The storms?"

"Yeah..." She replied quietly and laid out the damp towel by her jacket.

"It's kind of a dumb thing to be afraid of..."

"You're a dumb thing to be afraid of...!" The corner of Cato's mouth twitched up. She was starting to get her spunky attitude back so they had made some progress.

"Oh really? Is that a challenge?" He taunted and he was confused when her eyes closed. "Hand me the towel..."

"Why?" She didn't move and instead, Cato had to reach across her to get the damp cloth.

"You missed some mud..." He replied quietly and before she knew what was happening, the cloth was on her cheeks, carefully clearing away any mud that she had missed. His hand was surprisingly gentle as he cleared away the substance and Shade closed her eyes momentarily. She didn't know if she liked the feeling of being cleaned. It made her feel like a little kid again.

His actions stopped and when she opened her eyes, she took in a quick breath upon realizing how close his face was to her's. Letting her eyes fall to the ground, she swallowed nervously. "Thank you."

"No problem..." He replied just as quietly as she had. Shade suddenly released a sigh from her nose and laid down on the fuzzy blanket, trying to get her raging emotions under control. She tucked her arm under her head and settled into her new spot. She could feel Cato's eyes on the back of her head but let the prickling feeling leave as she shut her eyes.

Cato watched as she laid down, her back to him. Did she really trust him? He could easily kill her in her sleep but he thought about it for a moment. She thought he owed her something because she saved him. He suddenly remembered Haymitch's note.

It was some sort of strategy? To have her stick with someone and be in an alliance? Would you even call this an alliance or just an odd agreement not to kill each other in return for her fixing his leg?

He'll never know.

"Sure, it's a challenge, Cato..." She said quietly, recalling their conversation only a few minutes ago. She yawned loudly before going silent completely and Cato wondered why. Her chest rose up and down at a slow pace, signalling that she was asleep. Her face was calm and she looked to be at peace for the first time in a couple days.

This was probably the first time he had _ever_ seen her at ease. She always seemed to be on the alert, her hazel eyes sharp as the blade by his side. She was always watching. Watching what, he didn't know.

"Well, challenge excepted Shay-Shay..." He whispered in a teasing voice, careful not to wake her.

"Are you going to stop talking now or will I have to wait to go to sleep?" She snapped and his eyes flashed to her face and found her hazel eyes still closed but her lips were turned up in a smile.

"Whatever. Go to sleep. Night."

"Good night, Cato..." She replied quietly and her lips relaxed. Cato watched her chest rise up and down again, he was sure she was asleep this time. Lightning flickered outside, followed closely by thunder. His eyes immediately sought out her face and watched as she flinched in fear but she remained silent and her forehead unwrinkled.

_Just hold her, asshole..._

"I'm turning into a pussy..." He grumbled before reaching over and covering her with his now dry jacket. He tucked it around her small body and his hand brushed some hair away from her face. Realizing what he was doing, he retracted his hand and laid down on his back, eyes on the roof of the cave.

_What am I doing? How much longer can this last?_

* * *

**Aww! It's so cute! To fast? Review and tell me cause I don't want it to be one of those stories where they fall in love in two chapters alright? How I see it is Cato is using this to his own advantage so that he can survive longer. I think that he's only trying to trying to help her get through her pathological fear of storms but you can think whatever you guys want. REVIEW!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Shade's POV**

I grumbled under my breath and rolled over. I bumped into something warm and pressed up against it. Pulling the fabric covering me closer, I buried my face into the cloth. Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the wonderful scent that covered the clothing. It smelled like fresh rain and it had a metallic smell, along with some type of cologne.

Wait, cologne?

My eyes immediately opened and the first thing I noticed was the familiar design on the wet suits that I was wearing. But, it wasn't mine. My color was bright green. This one was a dark grey.

I slowly sat up and let my eyes adjust to the cave light. The fire from the night before was reduced to a small pile of glowing coals. Sunlight filtered in through the mouth of the cave. It was morning and it had stopped raining, much to my relief.

I felt the figure shift at my side and swallowed when I saw who it was. Without missing a beat, I scrambled away from the large Tribute until I was seated on the other side of the cave.

Cato was still sleeping peacefully, his blue eyes closed off from the world. He had his arm nearest to me raised in an awkward way. I stared at him for a moment, wondering why his arm was like that.

Then, I realized. I had been snuggled into his side and he had welcomed me with an open arm. Literally.

Balling my fists up, I remembered the warm fabric covering me and looked down. Cato's rusty red jacket covered my torso. It was warm and for the first time upon entering the arena, I felt safe. Well, safer.

Safe with a cold blooded murderer? Yeah, it was a contradiction. However, I was a murderer, too.

My legs suddenly itched to move and I stood up, pulling the jacket around my shoulders. It was huge considering Cato's body was about two times bigger than my own. I quietly made my way outside after making sure my knife was sheathed in my boot.

The sun's rays warmed my skin and I smiled, my hair falling out of the bun I had put it in last night. Pulling the hair tie out, I redid my bun but made sure it was higher on my head this time.

Taking a few extra steps out into the greenery surrounding the cave, I stretched and moaned loudly before growing silent so I could listen. The birds above sung loudly and I smiled in contentment.

"Morning, Haymitch..." I said quietly, realizing that my mentor was probably watching me. The whole country of Panem may be watching me. I shivered at that thought. It was weird to have my last few days alive broadcast in front of an entire nation of people. I didn't like it.

I stretched my arms above my head and bent backwards as far as possible again. My back cracked in a few places and I yawned loudly.

"Talking to someone?" I hastily turned around and found Cato leaning against the mouth of the cave, his arms crossed over his chest. I wiped whatever sleep was left from my eyes.

"Just saying hello to Panem..." I replied quietly gesturing to the space around us. There must have been about fifty cameras in the small area. Cato only remained near the mouth of the cave and smirked before looking up. He pushed off the cave wall and began walking towards me.

"You're kind of crazy..." He said as he stopped to stand beside me.

"After last night, I kind of agree with you..." I agreed quietly and we lapsed into silence. The wind moved through the forest, lightly tossing the hair in my bun about and rustled the jacket.

"I like crazy..." Cato leaned down and whispered into my ear. His breath was hot compared to the morning chill and my skin burned where it touched. "But..." He leaned in again. "I'll be taking this back!" He grasped the sleeve of his jacket and tugged on it. I looked at him confused for a moment and before he stepped back. He smirked down at me and I rolled my eyes. Frowning at him, I shrugged out of his rust colored jacket and tossed it to him. The coat landed on his head, covering his face as I really didn't care if he caught it. When he removed the jacket, his face was less than amused. However, he still slid it around his shoulders.

"Oh, it's still warm!" He raised his eyebrows suggestively and zipped it up part way. I only shook my head before walking back inside the cave to retrieve my own black jacket. My stomach suddenly rumbled and I placed my hand on it. Right, food. That was a little important.

I began to go through my pack, looking for any food I had left but found none. My hands found the leaf wrappings with the lilac goop inside. Pulling it out, I looked from my shoulder to the package. My own shoulder looked slightly better but there were faint black lines appearing around the edges. Infection.

I didn't know how to treat infection.

Cursing under my breath, I placed the goop on the ground and continued to go through my supplies. Full canteen of water, flint, rope, blanket, knives, dagger, and sword. I was prepared if I do say so myself.

I looked up from my work when I heard Cato re-enter the cave.

"Got any food?" I asked him and surprisingly, he nodded. My spirits raised slightly but I did't approach him. Pulling his pack up from the ground, he pulled out a bag of nuts and dried meats. He opened the bag and looked at me expectantly. Seeing that I would not move, Cato stalked over to me. I flinched when his demeanor shifted so suddenly, afraid that he would hit me. He reached down and pulled my wrist up so he could dump some of the food into the palm of my hand. I yanked my hand away when he was finished and I rubbed my wrist.

"You could have just asked, jerk!" I snapped at him but he sat back down on the cave floor, bag in hand. He began to sort through the bag, picking out certain nuts and the meat. I glowered at him.

"Or you could just use your head!" He said back, his attention snatched away by the food. I only grumbled under my breath before rolling my eyes and eating a peanut.

"You know, if we keep this alliance thing up, you're going to have to explain to me all the hand signals and code words and stuff..." I copied his actions from the night before and he laughed quietly. I frowned at him before popping another nut into my mouth.

"I wouldn't really call this an alliance..."

"What is it then?" I asked quietly, my hand with the food resting in my lap.

"I don't know... Probably just getting even with each other..." He replied, his eyes staring into the coals of the fire.

"Well, good because that's all I ever wanted it to be... You know alliances are overrated and stuff so yeah..." I replied, disappointment evident in my voice. I rubbed the back of my neck and cast my eyes downward to hide my disappointment.

"Yeah..." Cato replied but his voice was impassive. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. However, I sat seated on the other side of the cave. I still didn't trust him completely. My eyes flashed up to his face and I realized he was now looking at me. His eyes were as stony as his voice was. If it was one thing that he learned at the Academy, it was how to hide his emotions. My eyes dropped back to the floor and nothing else was said.

We had both finished eating after a few minutes and were quietly lounging in the smaller cave. I was laying on my back, idly playing with one of the sharp throwing knives from my belt. Cato was staring off into space. I wonder what he was thinking about.

"CATO?!" My eyes snapped up from the ground and found their way to Cato's. They stayed locked with his blue ones for a moment before both our heads snapped to the side. The call came again and my eyes widened.

"They found me..." Cato said quietly, his eyes locked on the cave entrance. However, the voices of the Careers instilled fear into my heart. There was five of them and only one of me. The odds were not in my favor.

"They found _us_!" I hissed while scrambled to my feet for the second time that morning. Running to my things, I shoved everything into my pack, my heart rate increasing with every step they got closer.

"CATO!? BRO, WHERE ARE YOU?" I could tell that this voice belonged to Marvel and I picked up the leaf wrappings. I looked at them for a moment before pealing them open and sloppily rubbing a handful over my shoulder. I hissed in pain but nonetheless lathered up my wound with the herbal medicine.

"You need to get out of here!" Cato warned her as he went to stand beside the mouth of the cave.

"I'm not stupid!" I said as I picked up the leaf wrappings and tossed it to him. He caught it easily and looked down at it in confusion. "Keep it!" I said before pulling the bag across both my shoulders. Not even risking him a glance, I began to run towards the mouth of the cave when I felt a hand grasp onto my wrist. Cato harshly spun me around to face him. His blue eyes blazing.

"The only reason I'm letting you go is because you didn't kill me last night..." I could feel my eyes widen slightly at his words but I couldn't find it in myself to confront him with my own sharp words.

"Fine!" I ripped my hand free from his grasp, my hazel eyes blazing. "But if you really want to live, don't stick around when I decide to come after the rest of your group!" I went to leave but looked back one last time.

_You can't leave him_... The voice said and I looked around to find no one. Who the hell was that? _Watch me!_ I thought to back.

"This is the last time I try to be a good person..." I snapped before running out of the mouth of the cave. I could hear the Careers' loud laughter and their steps crashing through the undergrowth. My feet carried me quickly over any obstacles and I continued to look behind me, fearful that Cato would be right on my tail. But he never was there.

I only stopped running when the laughter ceased and the forest was once again silent around me.

My breathing was the only noise in the air and after a few minutes, I got my erratic heartbeat under control. A quiet tune played overhead and I looked up into the trees. I realized that the birds were the ones singing it and I listened. A four note whistle called out onto the wind.

It was beautiful and the tune brought back distant memories from last year's Games. I realized that the birds must be Mockingjays and I could see the black and white creatures flying overhead. I had never seen one before but I've heard Katniss's stories about them.

I whistled back, playing Katniss's signature whistle. The birds quickly picked it up and it echoed all around me. I couldn't held but slowly turn around in a circle and listened as the notes floated around me.

I straightened up and began walking into the unknown forest ahead of me and realized that I was headed back towards the river. My feet only carried me where they wanted to go and after about three hours, I reached the river and looked out across the water.

I was back in the same place I had been in only a couple nights ago.

Slowly walking down to the water's edge, I scooped up a handful of water, wanting to conserve my own supply in my canteen. Ripples suddenly cut through the calm surface of the river and I froze for a moment. Carefully lifting my eyes from the water, my eyebrows rose in surprise as I saw who was on the other side of the slim part of the river.

Rue squatted on the other side of the river, getting her own drink of water. Her brown eyes rose as well and we just stared at each other for what felt like for the longest moment. Her jet black hair was pulled back into two small pigtails at the base of her neck. She looked so innocent and I now understood why she had gained Katniss's sympathy.

It was almost like what had happened with Cato when I first found him. I saw the innocent, childish part of him.

"Hi." I said quietly and wiped the water from my lips. Something flickered in her eyes for a moment and I noticed her glance at my shoulder. It was covered with my jacket and I noticed it had began to burn again the more I moved. Even though I had hastily applied the paste this morning, I could tell that it was already wearing off.

"Hi." She replied back, just as quietly but even more bashful. She smiled slightly and I returned the gesture. She was so cute!

"RUE! Rue! Where are you?" A voice came from out of the trees and I tensed up. I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword, ready to protect myself if the need called. I could hear heavy footsteps approaching but when my eyes flashed back to Rue, she seemed fine. And then I realized who it was. "Rue? Oh, there you are. I was worried when you didn't answer!" Thresh panted as he game crashing through the tree line. He hadn't seemed to notice me yet so I remained quiet on the other side of the river. The large boy was breathing heavily and he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, I heard a whistle but it sounded like..." I interrupted and whistled the tune that the Mockingjays had heard. His dark eyes widened before darting to me, easily finding me across the water.

I slowly smiled, trying to see as innocent as possible. Thresh reached out and grabbed onto Rue's jacket and tugged her behind him. She let out a squeak and protested but otherwise said nothing else.

He slowly raised up the club in his hand and pointed it at me. I stood up from my squatted position, my sword in my hand. I saw him glance at it for a moment and he clenched his jaw.

"I'm not here to hurt you..." I said quietly but took a few steps back. The tall boy nodded slowly before peering down at the little girl at his side.

"It was Katniss's whistle. You're her friend right?" The little girl said as she stepped out from behind the large boy. She didn't seemed scared of me in the slightest.

"You guys are from District 11. You sent me the herbal salve, didn't you?" I asked and Rue nodded, a small smile on her face. "Well, thank you..." It was silent for a moment. "Can I ask you a question?" My gaze drifted to Thresh. He only looked at me for a moment, blinking ask if giving me permission to continue. "You know where the Careers are, right?" He nodded.

"Their camp is further upstream on this side of the river. In the 8 to 9 section of the clock face. We watched them this morning. They left the camp early, screaming for that Cato kid..." I tensed when I heard his name and Thresh seemed to notice.

"You ran into him?"

"Yeah, I did... He was on my side of the river... What's this about a clock face?" I ignored Thresh's question and got right to the point.

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Rue asked, her cute little nose scrunching up. I shook my head, confusion written on my face. "Things happen on an hourly basis. You really haven't noticed? Like the fire that always happens in the 5 to 6...?"

It was true now that I thought about it. I had always seen smoke coming from one section of the forest but I never really thought about it.

"And the mutts?" I asked.

"6 to 7."

"So it happens _every_ hour for _one_ hour?" I asked, trying to make things clearer for me at least. Both of them nodded in unison. I took a deep breath and compiled all my thoughts together.

"You're side of the river?" Thresh suddenly asked and the grip on his blunt weapon tightened. He brought up my comment from before and I tensed slightly. Had I insulted him or something?

"Yeah, I've been patrolling this side for a while now. I've kind of claimed it as my own territory..." I explained and the tall boy slowly nodded but something dangerous flashed in his eyes. I looked down at Rue for a moment and smiled. "Can I ask you one more question?" I looked to the two Tributes and the both of them nodded. "How many tributes are dead?" I asked casually. I hadn't been keeping track and wondered how much longer the Games would last.

"The total is up to 27." Rue said and I nodded. Already twenty seven were dead? How had I missed six deaths? _The storms._ The clouds could have blocked out the faces and the thunder drowned out the anthem and cannons.

"Hey, Twelve?" I turned around when I heard the familiar nickname.

"Go have fun with the Careers!" He said and I smirked and nodded. I turned my back and began walking upstream in the direction that they had pointed me.

* * *

**Cato's POV**

"CATO?" I recognized Clove's high pitched voice as she called from outside the cave. I relaxed back on my heels, picked up my sword, and walked outside.

"Clove?" I called back and it was only a few moments before they all emerged from the trees. Marvel, Glimmer, and Clove all laughed loudly and Kaz slowly followed behind them.

"I see you survived the fire...?" My district partner greeted me and I smirked. My leg felt considerably better since the girl had applied the paste the night before. It had also healed some but this morning, I had noticed how bad her's looked. It was still black in some spots. She basically showed me when she took off my jacket.

She had been wearing my jacket.

I had covered her with it when her shivering had gotten out of hand. I could feel the ground beside me shake as she shivered. I had also woken up in the night and she had her head buried into my side, her hands tightly grasping the rusty jacket. The first few moments, I was disgusted with her touching me and was about to kill her on the spot but after a while, I didn't mind the heat that she shared with me.

I laughed quietly and nodded at Clove's comment. She seemed to notice the burn on my leg but didn't say anything else.

"I'm hungry!" Glimmer complained as she twirled the silver bow in her hand. I thought about Shade again for a moment. She had wanted that bow badly. The blonde girl had complained about not being able to hunt.

Hunt. It was weird word to think about. In a Career's mind, hunting meant going on a hunt for other helpless Tributes. To Shade, it meant finding food for her survival. The difference between life and death.

"Let's get back to the camp... I don't trust that someone would leave the supplies alone..." My head snapped up when Marvel spoke his mind.

"You left the supplies ALONE!?" I screamed and my voice bounced off the trees. My fellow Careers flinched and my hands bunched up into fists. "Let's go!" I commanded and then marched back inside the cave to get the rest of my supplies before heading off into the trees.

* * *

**Shade's POV**

I had only been walking for a couple hours before the sky darkened again. So I was in the 7 to 8 section of the clock face. I wondered what would happened in this part of the arena.

Suddenly remembering something important, I reached up into a tree and snapped off a branch about a foot long. Taking out my hunting knife, I began cutting small pieces out of it until 27 marks had been made.

Twenty seven. That's just a little over half that were dead. What day was it even? How long had I been in the arena? I didn't know but what I did know is that I needed food. Berries, meat, plants... Anything. I was completely starved.

Suddenly, I heard a crack to my right. My head immediately snapped to the side and I drew a throwing knife out. I held it between my fingers and was about to throw it when the familiar fuzzy wolf stepped out from the bushes. I sighed in relief and took a few steps forward and patted him on the head.

"You have no idea how great of timing you have!" I said as I stroked him between the ears and he wagged his tail. But then, I heard voices. Many voices. Their laughter caught me off guard and a slow smile spread across my lips.

Their laughter was still a good distance away so I crept through the undergrowth. Movement caught my eye and I stopped in my tracks before diving behind some thick weeds. Through a gap in the foliage, I watched them as they flounced through the forest.

I held my breath when I saw that Cato was in the lead. At least they hadn't killed him. Why would they have killed him? He was the top dog of the group. He would be the hardest to kill. My hand clenched up into a fist when I saw Kaz walking quietly beside Clove.

Little bastard. I should kill him right now.

I was about to pull out a throwing knife out to attack when I saw Cato glance in my direction. I froze immediately, my hand was reached across my waist and was resting on the shimmering knives. His blue eyes seemed to lock on my location and I held my breath, not daring to move at all.

He knew someone was there. He froze for a moment also, listening and for a moment, I wouldn't doubt that he could hear the rapid beating of my heart in my chest. I was done for.

He seemed convinced someone was there and took a few steps forward. As he approached, I moved my other hand down to the knife in my boot if I had to defend against his sword. But even then it wouldn't be an even match.

He was only a few feet away and raised his sword above his head, ready to strike. I held my breath and just when he was about to bring it down, something rustled in the ferns on the other side of the clearing. His head immediately turned in the other direction, his sword still raised above his head. I could faintly hear footsteps or more like footfalls.

"Hey! Someone's over there!" Glimmer said in her shrill voice and raced off after whatever was in the bushes. She disappeared from sight and Cato sighed. She was only gone for a few moments before a high pitched scream echoed through the trees. The flustered female burst through the tree line once more, breathing heavily with fear written in her eyes.

Hearing a loud growl, all the Careers tensed. My large white wolf slowly emerged from the shadows, baring his teeth and his fur standing on end. I had to admit, he looked rather sinister. His amber eyes burned with what seemed like hate and hunger.

"Huh...?" I could hear Cato say quietly and he briefly looked back to the place where I was hiding before facing forward once more. My wolf continued to growl and the Careers all backed up.

I saw this as my opportune moment, I quickly rose from my spot and sprinted off through the trees.

To bad I didn't see Cato watch me leave. His blue eyes followed my form until it disappeared and he frowned. Turning back around, he didn't say anything to the others and watched as the white animal fled back into the shadow of the ever darkening forest.

_Why didn't he tell them that she was there?_

* * *

**Aww! It's cute! Alright, here's another chapter! Due to the lack of reviews, except for Kurskin, I don't know whether you guys like it or not. And it frustrates me to no end. I'm like, really guys? You can't take two seconds to tell me what you like about what I wrote?**

**Well, I still liked this chapter. I thought it was cute how Shade was suddenly so disappointed when Cato said they weren't in an "alliance".  
**

**I love Rue. And Thresh.**

**Review, guys. I love all my readers and I wanna know what you guys think! Please, review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Shade's POV**

Well, I had found the Careers.

I sat perched up in a tree, my leg dangling lazily off the limb. It swung back and forth in the breeze and I sighed and rubbed my head. In the last couple hours, my arm had seriously started to hurt. So, I was babying it.

I watched as the fire flickered off in the distance, just across from the me on the other side of the river. When I was quiet, I could hear them laughing loudly and I could smell their food cooking. It smelt good. My mouth watered and eventually I rolled over and dropped down from the tree I had been resting in.

I've been having to do that a lot lately. Resting in trees.

Believe me, it wasn't as pleasant as someone would think. I always got a stiff back and woke up with a crick in my neck. Plus, I always had splinters in my ass.

As my feet touched the ground, I felt a cold nose press itself into my palm. I looked down and stroked the wolf. He had found me, again. The Careers had taken control of the second Cornucopia and I could see the firelight reflecting off the polished surface of the metallic structure.

The sky had grown dark about an hour ago and the stars sparkled brightly overhead. If I weren't so close to the dangerous Careers, I might actually be at peace here. It was quiet and serene almost. I didn't have to worry about Peacekeepers finding me. Or my parents finding me. Believe me, that would not be pleasant.

I think I would have taken a good beating over dealing with my parents any day. Plus, Cam was one of the Peacekeepers and they were friendly with our family so it's not like I would be whipped anyway.

I sighed and looked down at the stream, it didn't look like I would be eating again. I couldn't start a fire with the Careers just across the way. I would be a blazing target.

Pulling the rope from my pack, I held it in my hand, the gears slowly turning in my head. I bounced it up and down a couple times to help me think. Biting my lip, I closed my eyes for a few moments. At least this time I wasn't wearing lip gloss, at least I think that was what Cinna called it. Well, there was one thing I was sure of. It was a pain in the ass.

Glancing down at my hands, a light bulb suddenly turned on in my head and a slow smile crept onto my lips. It was a good thing I had spent plenty of time learning about snares back home.

* * *

Placing the final layer of ferns over the rope, I felt accomplished. I raked a hand through my hair as I looked at my trap. It looked like it would work, well at least I hoped it would work. This was one of the few things that I had actually learned from Gale. It looked somewhat similar to the trap the master snare-setter had once showed me.

Hopefully I could catch some food. That would be nice. I only haven't eaten in like three days. Okay, maybe one day but I don't think it really mattered to my stomach.

On my way back to my makeshift camp, I took the knife from my boot and slashed a few small scratches into the trees. They connected together to form a line leading to the trap so I wouldn't fall into it in the dark. Upon making it back to my camp, I sighed and rubbed my stomach. I slowly lowered myself down onto the ground.

Leaning my back against a tree, I sighed. The Games were only just beginning and I was sick of it. We still had almost the whole number of tributes for a normal Hunger Games. I don't know how much longer I could last without a constant supply of food. Right now, it was sort of a spur of the moment deal.

But, I did know that I was going to get my hands on a bow. Soon. Glimmer didn't know about it yet. But she would, soon enough.

My wolf grumbled and looked up at me. He had remained in the small clearing to guard my supplies. Grumbling myself, I adjusted my throwing knife belt which had been digging into my leg.

The wolf had his head between his legs and he had been fuming for some odd reason. I honestly don't think he trusted Cato. But, I guess that I didn't really either. That was probably the reason why he didn't come to the cave with us. He just didn't like Cato.

So, putting two and two together, he was a loner. Just like me. It was nice to have some form of companionship, even if he didn't talk back to me.

"Come here!" I said and he happily rose and trotted over to me. He came to stand beside me and he turned in a small circle a few times before laying down. I snorted and patted his side. He rolled onto his back briefly, offering me his stomach. My fingers raked over his soft belly fur and his leg kicked happily in the air.

This wolf was just weird. He acted so domesticated and comfortable around me. He wasn't normal. Someone had to put him here.

"It's time to go to bed..." I said quietly and he rolled back onto his side. The wolf curled into my side and sighed through his nose in contentment. I surprisingly felt safe because if anyone were to approach, he would hear them and wake me up. Hopefully.

Sighing myself, I balled my hands up into fists and grasped onto the soft fur. The white fluff stuck out between my slim fingers and I laid my head on his soft side. Smoothing my hand over the ruffled fluff, I began to hum a quiet lullaby. The tune was slow and gentle and my eyes immediately began to grow heavy before they finally shut and I drifted off to sleep.

_Are you, are you _

_Coming to the tree?_

_Where they strung up a man they say murdered three?_

* * *

_"Have you ever thought about what happens if they don't come back?" I asked quietly. The tall grass ruffled around us and I moped a hand over my face. I looked out over the rolling hills, trees dotting the sides._

_"A little..." I looked over at the tall boy with surprise. His lips were set in a firm line and he slowly nodded. His dark hair was ruffled and messy, like normal. The eighteen year old was lying down in the grass, picking at the soft greenery beside him. This was always the place the three of us would sit and talk. Usually, it was only Katniss and Gale but on rare occasions, she would bring me along. Very rare occasions. _

_"What would you do?" I asked and picked the grass near my boots. My hazel eyes darted over to his lounging form. He seemed to sense my gaze and looked up, his blue grey eyes piercing yet guarded, holding back his emotions. Almost everyday, Gale had came to the butcher shop and asked if I wanted to hunt with him. Katniss was gone and he felt lost. He also needed the extra help feeding his family. So I did._

_On time, I even snuck meat out from the shop freezer._

**Third Person's POV**

_The old window protested as she slid it upwards, letting the cold night air in. She looked outside for a moment, making sure the coast was clear. Reaching back, Shade grabbed the cloth satchel off the quilt covering her bed. She slung it over her shoulder, the meat's freezing temperature leaking through the fabric. She glanced back over her shoulder once more before stepping out onto the steel roof right below her window. It quietly groaned under her weight and she padded down the slight incline._

_Once she neared the edge, she squatted down and sat down on the ledge. Scooting forward, she dropped down to the ground with a quiet thud. Staying as quiet as possible, she made her way through the Seam, terror filling her very being. _

_Shade had only been in this part of town once or twice but not at night. She clutched the strap of the bag to her chest and picked up her pace._

_Gale looked up from his place where he had been reading a tattered old book at his kitchen table when he heard the knock at the door. Who could it be at this late hour? Peacekeepers? Had they found out he had been hunting in the woods? _

_He clenched his jaw momentarily before walking into the living room, passing a snoring Rory who was asleep on the old couch. He tossed a blanket over his little brother before striding to the door. He opened it and surprise flashed through his grey eyes._

_"Shade?" He asked, surprise evident in his voice. Her hazel eyes dilated from the bright light coming through the door. She raised a hand up to lessen it slightly and when her eyes adjusted, she easily recognized Gale. They looked at each other for a moment before he suddenly jumped into action._

_"Come inside..." He stepped aside and watched her look back out into the darkness for a moment before stepping inside. Gale shut the door quietly behind her and the tall blonde girl held the strap of her bag close. Her hazel eyes warily scanned the insides of the house, finding it to be rather cozy and warm. __"What are you doing here?" His voice brought her from her wandering thoughts. _

_She immediately looked at him, her braid tossing over her opposing shoulder. She reminded him of Katniss in so many ways, it wasn't even funny._

_"I brought food..." She said and reached down into her bag, pulling out a frozen package of meat. It was a huge piece of meat, a roast that could feed his family for a whole day. He took it from her hands and examined the cold chunk._

_"Is this real?" He asked and rolled it over a few times._

_"I live in a butcher shop... Its real!" She said and a smile pulled at the corners of her lips. He suddenly walked off into a separate room. Shade wondered if she should follow and eventually she did. Her boots left quiet footsteps echoing through the short corridor as she made her way to the kitchen. Gale was shoving the roast into their small freezer that was relatively empty. They had never had any excess food to put in it, until now._

_"I've got more..." She stepped up to the kitchen table and dumped out the rest of her bag. Three more pieces of frozen meat tumbled out, each a good size that would feed his family for at least three days. Gale took in the sight before him, disbelief clouding his features. He had never had this much food in his house, ever._

_"I can't take all this..." He protested but she held up her hand._

_"Yes, you can! Katniss was my friend, too..." She said quietly and scratched the back of her head. He shut the door to the freezer and before she knew what was happening, he had crossed the room and had enveloped her in a tight hug. The blonde female froze for a moment before wrapping her arms around him as well._

_"Thank you so much, Shade..." He said after a few moment and letting her go. Her cheeks had flushed a bright red and it had left her flustered slightly._

_"It's nothing really..." She replied quietly before heading back towards the door. __"I've got to get going before my parents realize I've escaped!" She teased and her hazel eyes sparkled. Gale led her silently back to the doorway. He opened the door and she stepped outside. He saw her visibly tense and realized something. She was scared of the Seam. And who wouldn't be at night?_

_"Why don't I walk you home? It's not safe at night..." Gale said as he slipped on a jacket and closed the door behind him._

_It didn't take them long to return to her home and when they arrived back, they both grew quiet. They had walked in silence the entire time and Shade had been extremely jumpy when even the smallest of noises had happened. But with Gale by her side, she instantly felt safer._

_"Thanks again, Shade..." He said and gave her another tight squeeze. She only smiled and nodded her head when he stepped back._

_"Could you help me up though?" She asked and pointed to the roof that led up to her room. Clasping his hands together, he bent his knee and nodded to her. Walking towards him, she placed her boot in his large hands. She was extremely light and he easily hoisted up her up to the ledge._

_"Goodnight, Gale!" She whispered once she was on the roof._

_"Goodnight, Shay..." He replied before watching her slip silently back into her room._

**Shade's POV**

_"I'd leave... I'd go that way, probably take my brothers with me..." He pointed out away from town towards the denser forest that lay before them._

_"You'd leave if she died?"_

_"Probably, I've got nothing left if she's gone... If you want, you could come too..." Gale said and my eyes flashed up to him again. I only looked at the large boy before me and continued to pick at the grass._

_"Even if Peeta died... I don't think I could ever leave..."_

_"Come on. It wouldn't be that hard. All you would have to do is pack a bag, grab your bow, and leave..."_

_"I couldn't do that, Gale..."_

_"Yes, you could Shay! If Peeta died, what would you have to keep you here? Like you have a promising future as a female butcher..."_

_"Hey, don't disgrace my family!" He only snorted and shook his head._

_"Life would be so much simpler out there... No Capitol, no rules laws, no Peacekeepers... Just, freedom."_

_"Absolutely no one else..." I added in quietly under my breath but Gale still heard it. He laughed loudly before standing up._

_"You always have me!" He picked up the dead rabbits that had been lying at his side and swung them around. I narrowly dodged one of the dead creatures we had killed and I laughed._

_"Yes, cause that is so reassuring, Gale..." He only rolled his eyes before starting to walk down the hill. I watched his retreating form for a moment before sighing. I knew that only one of them could come back._

_And I knew which one I wished would be the one to win. __Could I ever admit that to Gale? Never._

_"Hey, Gale! Wait up!" I called to him as I snatched up my bow and chased after him down the slippery grass slope, falling twice in the process. I wasn't having a very good day._

* * *

_Boom_.

My hazel eyes slowly opened when the sound brought me from my deep sleep. Why I was so calm about it, I didn't know. I slowly sat up and looked around the dim arena. The sun was barely starting to rise and the sky was turning a nice orange and pink.

The wolf at my side only shifted slightly but continued to snore quietly. I patted him and stroked his side for a few moments. He still seemed content to sleep so there was no apparent danger around, whether it be from the weather, the section of the clock face, or other tributes.

I sat with my back up against the base of a tree and sighed. Today, I would try to infiltrate the Careers' camp in the Cornucopia. And I would try my damnedest to get Glimmer's bow.

My stomach suddenly interrupted my thoughts and grumbled loudly. I groaned and rubbed my hand over it, trying to calm the ache that resided there. I would _have_ to get that bow today. Or my wolf wold hunt but that seemed like a one time thing. To me, he seemed pretty lazy. How he survived on his own I'll never know.

I needed that bow. And I knew exactly how I would get it.

Whistling quietly through my teeth, I watched as the wolf's ears pricked at the high pitched noise. His head rose from the ground and he sat up immediately. He turned his amber eyes to me and he snorted.

"I'm going to get us some food..." I told him quietly and he stood up, allowing me to rise as well. I dusted off my clothing, frowning as the white fur clung to me. Great, I look like a freaking shag carpet.

_He's waiting..._

My hazel eyes widened and I turned around. The voice was back. All of yesterday, I had only heard it once. What was my problem thought? I kept hearing it and it was driving me crazy!

"Who are you?" I asked out loud, to particularly no one. I grew silent and waited for a reply but heard none. Frustrated, I growled quietly and raked both hands through my hair. "Show your face!" I said through gritted teeth and I heard an ominous giggle from behind me. My hand immediately went to the throwing knives at my side and when I turned around I froze. For a moment, my heart stopped beating in my chest.

She stood completely still for a moment and my breath caught in my throat. I narrowed my eyes slightly and She suddenly smiled brighter. It was weird, seeing me standing across from myself. Almost like looking into a mirror. But I was sure that this was no mirror. I, or rather She, was eerily quiet and She smirked while leaning up against a tree.

"Who are you?" I repeated, my voice shaking slightly. She only smiled widely and giggled.

"I'm you, silly!" Looking myself up and down, we were both wearing the same clothing, our hair done in the same messy fashion, packs across both our backs. I noticed, thought, that she didn't have any weapons.

"You can't be me because... I'm me!" I told myself and she only smirked.

"We're the same person! I'm only your better half... Your stronger half!" She replied and I only shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I must have been stung by a trackerjacker or something. This shit was weird.

"You can't be me! You're just some mutt dreamed up by the Capitol to scare me shitless!" I yelled at myself and turned to leave. When I heard a giggle, I turned back around to find myself missing.

What the hell just happened? I-I'm going insane! Am I dreaming? Is this reality? Am I hallucinating?

Shaking the thought from my head, I gripped the sword tightly in my hand and began walking towards the water, every few feet checking back over my shoulder to see if... whatever the hell that was, was following me. Tucking my blade into my belt, the wolf followed me down to the waters edge.

"Stay here..." I told him and then quietly sunk into the cool water. My clothes were immediately drenched as my head slipped beneath the surface. Quietly padding underneath the water, it didn't take me long to reach the other side. I tried to look up through the shifting surface but couldn't really see anything. I slowly rose my head up, my nose just breaking the glass surface for air in case I needed to dive back under the water.

Finding the coast to be clear, I paddled closer to shore and my feet touched down on the slippery stone surface. I pulled myself up and out of the water as quietly as possible. I began walking in the direction of the camp which was signaled by smoke rising from their fire. They should really be more careful.

I made my way through the trees, my feet not even making a sound. I nearly screamed out every curse word I could think of when I came across a patch of ground covered in dead leaves. How could I get around this? My eyes slowly wandered around my surroundings and I found my opening.

Taking a few steps back, I sprinted forward and launched myself off the ground to a low hanging branch. My hands wrapped around it and I swung myself up using my forward motion. The bark scraped against my skin but I ignored it. My hands were already torn up as is. I didn't care anymore.

I climbed up a few more branches and jumped across to another wide branch, my feet landing safely and my hands were sparred. This continued on for a while until I was seated a few trees away from the Cornucopia. Everyone was milling about the camp and I found it interesting to watch them. It was almost like TV.

Kaz was seated on a crate of supplies. Marvel and Glimmer were busy looking for supplies in the multiple crates around the Cornucopia. Clove had constructed a target out of a tarp she found in the supplies and she was assaulting the poor thing with her knives. Cato was the only one who remained unmoving and he opted to lazily look into the fire while consuming an apple.

Well, damn. I didn't think this far ahead in my plan. How would I get them away _and_ get some supplies at the same time? My eyes landed on Glimmer's silver bow and my stomach growled again.

She wouldn't miss it. She didn't even use it. She probably _couldn't_ use it.

I smirked at the last thought. Oh how I hated her. Glimmer. So many words came to mind when I thought about her. Most of which, I could not repeat. Have you ever had that one person who you instantly hate when you look at them? Yeah, that person is Glimmer in my book. Cato, a close second.

My nose twitched as I watched them move about. I was starting to get impatient. I was hungry. And I was in pain. My shoulder continued to throb but I couldn't focus on that now. I needed the bow.

"Hey, hey!" Someone yelled and my eyes darted downward. Cato stood up and dropped the apple. I watched as the shinning red fruit crashed to the forest floor. I could eat that. I didn't care if it was dirty. I was just so hungry.

"Let's go!" Cato pointed off into the trees and I could faintly hear footsteps crunching through the leaves. I think they were human.

"This one's mine!" Marvel called and picked his spear up from where he had left it near a log only a few minutes before. He dashed off into the trees, Clove close on his heels.

"You coming, kid?" Cato called over his shoulder to Kaz. The thirteen year old had remained seated on a box of supplies. His bright green eyes widened but he slowly grabbed a machete and followed after the large blonde boy.

"Glimmer, stay behind and guard the supplies!" Cato demanded before disappearing. The blonde girl screamed in rage before kicking a box of supplies over. I snorted quietly and a faint smile spread across my lips. Someone is whipped. And my opportunity just presented itself.

Arena: 1. Shade: 0.

But I think it was time to introduce a new character into the game that was my life.

Arena: 1. Shade: 0. Amazing universe powers that present me with unbelievable opportunities: 1.

* * *

**Chapter Update! I thought it was cute how Gale and Shade had some past with each other as well. But, it was only because of Katniss. This was kind of a filler chapter, just showing how desperate she was getting for Glimmer's bow and some food. I'm thinking about renaming the story ****_Skyfall_**** after Adele's now song. I like it and it is really sad and slow, kind of like Shade and Cato's relationship. Review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Shade's POV**

She pouted and sat by the fire, her arms crossed over her chest. What a baby.

"Stupid Cato..." Glimmer grumbled under her breath and she suddenly started playing with her long hair. I noticed it was still in a perfect braid, her face was unscratched and clean. Her clothes were pressed and perfect looking.

And here I was. Looking like I was dragged through the undergrowth and survived a hurricane. Possibly two. Maybe even drowned.

I chewed on my finger nail was I waited for her to do something. She was a Career which meant she wouldn't be able to do nothing for long. After half an hour, I felt a delightful bit of joy spark in my stomach when I noticed her beginning to nod off. Crossing my fingers, her head finally fell into her open palms and she was fast asleep.

I was just about to climb down from my tree when suddenly footsteps were heard on the other side of the clearing. Her head snapped up and I cursed under my breath. Damn, so close.

Her head swiveled to the side, her braid tossing over her shoulder. She rose from her spot and reached for a spear that had been laid near by. Come on. Keep walking Blondie.

I only a flash of white and the smile fell from my lips. Really? He couldn't listen to the one thing that I told him to do? Instead, the mangy beast would, of course, follow me across the river. He was there for a moment before disappearing in the blink of an eye. He was faster than I though. Maybe that was why he survived in the arena.

I watched as Glimmer inched towards the tree line, her feet slowly making their way across the ground. I smiled brightly when I figured out his plan. He was hungry, too. He wanted me to get the bow. Cause he was a lazy ass and I provided him with chow.

I quietly slipped down from the tree, my feet gliding between the branches. My feet quietly touched down on the grass covered floor. I held a throwing knife in my hand, ready for the kill. One flick of my wrist and she was done for. I could end her life so easily.

_So oblivious..._

I ignored the voice and proceeded forward, my feet not making a sound. I swallowed as I stretched my hand outward. The silver bow was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. At this point at least.

With this, I could feed myself forever.

I slowly wrapped my hand around it. It felt so cold but it was a comforting feeling. My other hand reached out for the quiver, not one of the silver arrows used before. I slung it over my shoulder and began to sneak away with the bow on my back. My free hand wrapped around a barrel filled with what I guessed to be vegetable soup.

_Boom._

My ears rung in the silence after the cannon and I quietly cursed. Not a sound was being made. Marvel had gotten his kill and they would be coming back, soon.

Suddenly, loud crashing footsteps sounded through the clearing and I spun around. I winced and jumped back, barely dodging the spear that landed where I had previously been standing.

"Well, well, well! Look who it is!" Glimmer's high pitched voice was clearly pleased with me being here. She shouldn't be. I could only smile at her. "Little Shay-Shay, finally come to face the music!" Her words caused one of my eyebrows to rise suddenly.

"Uh... What music?" I asked her and I could tell that she really didn't know either. It was probably something that she had heard and simply repeated.

"Never mind about the music! Just come here so that I can _kill_ you!" She ran at me and I simply smiled again.

"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen..." I said back quietly before I quickly drew out a throwing knife and aimed low. I wanted her to suffer. The projectile flew through the air and landed in her thigh right above her knee. She let out a strangled scream and looked down to her leg. Her lips turned down in a scowl and she glared down at the small knife.

Gritting her teeth, she reached for a nearby scythe and began hobbling towards me. Damn, I had been hoping that she would have thrown my knife back. I wanted it back. Her pants quickly became dark with blood and I mopped a hand over my face.

Racing forward, my feet sprayed up leaves on the forest floor. Glimmer swung at me but I stepped underneath her weapon and wrapped my hand around the handle of the small throwing knife. With a quick flip of my wrist, it was ripped free of her skin and she was screaming, again.

"You bitch! You'll have hell to pay! MARVEL! CATO!" She suddenly screamed and collapsed to the ground. Her pants continued to darken and she placed a small hand over it, trying to stop the bleeding.

"CATO!" She screamed and I winced slightly but to shut her up, I placed the heel of my boot into her new wound. It wasn't long before footsteps began making their way towards us. Grumbling under my breath, I rolled my eyes and lifted my heel from the wound before running off once again. I was about to grab the barrel of soup when the footsteps suddenly got closer. Glancing over my shoulder, the four Careers entered the clearing and all stared at Glimmer who lay bleeding on the ground.

"Glimmer?" Marvel asked, his eyes widening. The grip on his spear tightened and I swallowed. He was lethal with a spear. I had watched him use it during training.

Cato also stopped in his place and looked at me for a moment. He towered above me in height and I had to raise my eyes up a ways to look him in the eye. My eyes darted to Clove for a moment and I cursed internally. She was also deadly with her knives. And boy, was it hard to outrun them.

Catching them off guard, I turned and sprinted. I leapt over a stray log in my way, my feet easily clearing it. My footfalls were loud as they crunched through the leaves from before but that didn't matter now.

"I've got her!" Cato's familiar voice sounded from behind me and I was worried for a minute. Could he use a long distance weapon? Glancing back once, I made a mistake. Cato was directly on my trail about ten steps behind. Facing forward again, my brows pulled down into a frown. He was going to catch me.

But I was faster. I was _supposed_ to be faster.

My mind kicked in and I began planning an escape route. I would have to out-skill Cato. Sprinting forward, I crossed my fingers. Vaulting off the rock face, I plunged down into the cold water and quickly began paddling when I heard a splash behind me. A wave crashed into my face and I swallowed some water before I struck out with my legs, hoping to reach the shore.

* * *

**Third Person's POV**

Coughing, Shade emerged from the frigid waters, shivering. Her clothes were heavy with water and her boots slipped a few times on the wet stones before she once again started running through the forest.

Cato pulled himself ashore shortly after Shade escaped the cold water. He missed her by a few feet, his hand almost grabbing her ankle. A growl ripped through his teeth as he stretched but missed. Her black boot was just out of reach and his frustration shown. Hearing his growl, Shade glanced back briefly before sprinting off into the trees.

Cato clamored to his feet before he dashed into the trees, after the girl. A few shorter branches whipped him as he raced after her. He pushed his feet to go faster, his long sword in hand.

When he was out of breath, he stopped. If he was tired, Shade had to be just as tired somewhere nearby. Stopping and listening, he tried to get his breathing under control. He breathed heavily through his nose.

Shade listened to his heavy breathing in the clearing below him. She had her back pressed up against the trunk of the tree. Her chest rose up and down as she tried desperately to get her own breathing regulated. She took a deep breath, slowly pulling the bow from her back. Withdrawing an arrow from the silver quiver, Shade quietly strung it.

She would have to be fast. No holding back. He's just another person that will have to die to save Katniss. Just pull the string back, aim, and let go. He had to die so that Katniss could win._ Why do I care about him anyway? He's a Career!_

Stepping out onto the limb, Shade took aim and held her breath to steady her hand. Cato's eyes immediately snapped up to her form in the tree. His hair was slicked down from the water. His blue eyes widened and he stopped completely, holding up his hands. They were both completely still, the dripping water the only thing daring to move.

It dripped off both their forms and landed quietly on the ground below them.

_Just let go..._

"Shoot me." He said, tempting her to let go of the string. Her hands quaked and shook with her tired limbs. Shade looked into his blue eyes and her breathing evened out slightly. After a moment of hesitation, a slow smirk spread across his face. He was mocking her. He knew that she couldn't do it. She was weak.

_JUST KILL HIM!_

"Shut up!" She yelled, causing Cato to flinch slightly. The innocence returned to his eyes for a moment and Shade froze. The little boy stood before her again. Lip quivering, eyes tearing up, little hands balled up into fists.

"You can't do it..." He smirked up at her when the little boy was replaced with this monster. He slowly began walking towards her. Her shoulder slackened slightly and she thought about it for a moment. Straightening her arm back out, she gritted her teeth.

"Stay. Away. From. Me!" she hissed and continued to aim at him. He only hesitated for a moment before slowly continuing forward. She wanted to kill him. To just get it over with.

She didn't know whether or not to be afraid of him or trust him. He was a Career after all. And you _shouldn't_ trust a Career.

"It doesn't make sense. You give me that burn cream, heal me back to full health, and track me all the way back to the Cornucopia, just to kill me in the end..." He said and she frowned.

"I didn't come to kill you. I came to get the bow!"

"Okay, whatever..." She closed her eyes for a moment, cursing herself under her breath. This was going against everything she believed in. What she was about to do was completely stupid. She dropped the bow, releasing the tension in the string.

Cato rolled his eyes when he saw her resilience to move.

"You can come down! I won't hurt you. That chase was more for my entertainment than an being an actual hunt..." He said and she frowned but decided that it would be best if she didn't move. So, she opted to stay in the tree despite his words.

They just continued to stare at each other for the longest time. Neither of them still dared to move. Her eyes were suddenly downcast to the ground and his lips turned down in a frown.

Cato rubbed a hand along his jaw in thought. She was a crazy girl for keeping him alive this long. In fact, he was surprised that she hadn't, in fact, kill him. Any other tribute would have killed him. But she didn't.

It was actually reversed rolls at the moment. She had the advantages over him. She had two long range weapons, while he only had a sword and hand to hand combat. _He_ shouldn't be the one feeling comfortable around her. However, he could see that she was uncomfortable around him.

The smart thing to do would be to sprint away, all the while zig zagging because he wouldn't doubt that she could hit him if she really wanted to.

Advancing forward, he came to stand at the base of the tree below the blonde girl. She only eyed him skeptically and he sighed again before he tossed his sword to the side. Holding his hands out, he showed that he was unarmed. "I'm unarmed!"

"I can see that..." She seemed to growl before she dropped out of the tree. He gave her space, still a little weary of the bow still in her hands. Slowly reaching a hand out, he offered to take the bow from her but she took a hesitant step backwards. He frowned suddenly before he was at her side and his hand wrapped around her wrist in a painful way.

Shade began to panic, thinking that he was going to attack. Instead, he used his large hand to force her smaller hand open, finding it easy after about two seconds. She seemed to give up and just let him take the bow from her. He released her wrist and she stepped back, trying to get away from him. He held the weapon up for a moment as if examining it.

"Glimmer was pissed!" He genuinely laughed. "Oh boy! When I get back she is gonna bitch so much..." He laughed again and this statement earned a snort from the female tribute. He removed the arrow from the weapon and looked it over for a moment.

It was still unused. Of course Glimmer would take a weapon that she wouldn't even use. At least Shade would put it to good use.

"What are the other Careers going to think, knowing that you let me go?" She asked him and wiped some water from the tip of her nose. Her hazel eyes darted around for a moment, making sure the coast was clear. His blue eyes flashed down to her face for a moment, tying to search her eyes for any emotions lying underneath. When she turned her eyes back in his direction, he could faintly detect a sense of awareness and something else. Anxiety, maybe?

Glancing down, Cato realized just how close they were. Their boots were only a few inches apart and he still held the bow and arrow in his large hands. Yes, it was definitely anxiety she was feeling.

"Not sure..." Cato leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. He reached behind her head, his jacket sleeve grazing her ear. The male tribute slipped the arrow quietly back into her quiver. It made a small clanking noise as it settled in next to its companions. "I could always just really kill you..." He saw her hand silently moving toward the knives on her belt.

"Or you could try..." Her lips pulled back into a taunting smirk and she raised an eyebrow. He scratched his chin, thinking about it for a moment. He kind of liked this spunky attitude of her's. "Or you could just lie like a normal person...?"

Well, she wasn't a dumb ass like Glimmer and Marvel, who in fact, made out all the time after returning from their hunts. It was annoying as hell not to mention weird. Clove wasn't that bad but that Kaz kid. He was trouble. Cato had caught him muttering things under his breath a couple times. He had also stolen food and he had this weird, crazed look in his eyes. A monster lay dormant inside him. Like a new recruit coming to the academy on their first day.

"Maybe..."

"Maybe?"

"Yup..."

"So you're going to lie?"

"No."

"So that's a no?"

"Yes."

"God, I should have just killed you when I had the chance..." Shade grumbled before running a hand through her damp hair. She looked around for a moment before sighing and taking off into the trees.

"Keep talking like that and you'll turn into a Career!" He called after her as she stalked away. He jogged after her to catch up. He easily caught up with his long strides and they fell into step together.

"Just what I need. To become like you!" She sent him a pointed look and Cato laughed at her sarcasm. They fell into an uncomfortable silence as they continued to walk through the trees. Shade happened to glance to the side, not noticing the slash on the tree. It barely registered in the back of her mind when she screamed suddenly.

Her feet were swept out from underneath her and she was pulled up into the air. Dangling upside down, the blood began rushing to her head, causing her cheeks to flush. Her trapped form spun slightly and she growled in irritation.

"Need help?" She slowly spun around and glared at Cato who stood beneath her. She crossed her arms and pouted. Cato had to admit, she looked rather cute stuck upside down, ponytail waving around and her cheeks were flushed a bright pink.

"No!" She hissed and tried pulling herself up to undo the tie. After trying a few times, Shade finally engaged her abs enough and held herself up by holding onto her tied ankle. "I should be able to get out of my own trap!"

"You made this?" Cato looked over the complex trap, wondering how she managed to dream something like this up. He walked around it for a moment, trying to figure out how it worked.

"I am brilliant if you hadn't realized..." She growled and struggled with the bind on her left ankle. Her shoulder ached as she held herself up but she focused on the task at hand.

"Are you sure you don't need help?" He asked again.

"YES! I'M SURE I DON'T NEED HELP!"

"Alright..." He said quietly and followed the length of rope over to behind the base of another tree. He smirked and looked between Shade and the tie before reaching down. Shade suddenly wondered why he had gotten so quiet and glanced over, her hazel eyes widening.

"CATO! DON'T!" He pulled the knot free and watched as Shay fell a few feet from her suspension in midair. She yelled and landed hard on her back causing Cato to wince. All the air rushed from her lungs and she wheezed out. Oh, God. The pain. Her back hurt once again and she rolled over onto her stomach, her body protesting the entire time.

"I saved you!" He smiled down at her but it fell when she only groaned and rubbed a hand on her back. That was not a pleasant experience.

"You didn't save me! You messed up my back, you asshole!" She grumbled and continued to lay in her spot among the leaves. She could hear him move around the clearing and she heard a bag drop to the forest floor. She laid her head down on the ground, her eyes tightly shut as she tried to force the pain away.

"Where does it hurt?" He asked and then straddled her back between his feet. He only heard her grumble and he leaned down to hear her better.

"What?" He asked, not understanding.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She raised her head up and yelled. He winced slightly but frowned. Someone was moody. He would have to fix that.

"What? You don't want my help?" He said as he crouched down over her before poking the bulge in her back. She cried out in pain and gritted her teeth. "Are you sure?" He poked it again and another scream ripped free. He was torturing her.

"I hope you die!" She hissed and he prodded the lump again.

"Alright!" She whimpered, her chest heaving with effort. He smirked in triumph. He broke her. Cato simply rolled his eyes before he expertly placed his hands on her back, feeling for the tight knot and lump that would signal something was out of place. He smirked when he found it.

"Breathe in." She took a deep breath and he felt her chest expand beneath him. "Breathe out." He said and when her chest released the air, he thrust his hands forward. Another strangled scream escaped her lips. Her hands balled up into fists and she crumbled leaves in them. Cato dropped down onto the ground beside her, his rear landing on the hard ground. She continued to whimper and Cato hesitantly placed a hand on her back. He gently began rubbing circles to try and soothe her.

The pain slowly decreased and Shade was able to breathe again. Cato had knocked the air from her lungs and basically broken her back again. But, it felt better than it had in a long time. And now, he had his hands on her again. She concentrated on the slow circular pattern and relaxed herself. At the moment, she really didn't care.

"Roll over." He ordered her. She weakly complied and rolled over onto her back. The sky was a pleasant light blue and she watched as the fluffy white clouds changed shape overhead.

She was shocked to feel a set of arms snake underneath her back and knees. The female was lifted from the ground once more but her face flushed. Cato gently placed her feet on the ground and helped her to stand up.

"Are you okay?" He asked, leaving a hand on the small of her back in case she fell back down. She slowly nodded and rubbed her neck.

"Yeah. W-Where did you learn to do that?"

"Your neck hurts, too?" He avoided her question and only moved her hands away. He replaced hers with his own and gently felt around with his thumbs. He rubbed a spot that may or may have not been sore and waited for her reaction. She winced slightly and he reached further behind her head and felt the back of her neck. His finger even managed to play with the baby hairs at the base of her hairline and he twirled them with his fingers. Her skin tingled underneath his hands and she shut her eyes momentarily.

"They taught us about the body back at the Academy, you know, in case we ever got hurt. Or if we needed to use someone's weaknesses against them..." He said and Shade's eyes opened. She remembered how last year he had so easily snapped the tribute from 3's neck last year after Katniss blew up the supplies. And his hands were on her neck.

Looking up at him, she saw him smirk, apparently feeling her pulse quicken when he said the last part of his sentence. Shade froze and it barely registered that his thumb ran across her jaw line a few times.

"It's pretty easily actually! You just kind of place your hands right here and you just..." He leaned in close to her ear, smirking. "_Twist_..." He replied, his voice low and tickled the hair around her ear. She flinched slightly at his words but she didn't dare move.

Using his free hand, he picked a few leaves from her hair and gently dropped them back to the forest floor. After he was finished, he gently tugged on the end of her pony tail, a gesture that reminded Shade of Peeta.

Peeta. She hadn't thought about him in a while. Boy did she feel terrible. She hadn't even sparred him a thought in the last few days. But she surprisngly had time for Cato.

His hands caused a shiver to run up her spin and her breathing caught in her throat. Damn him for making her feel this way. Damn him for making her so nervous.

"You're hot..." He said quietly and she felt her stomach churn but her mind easily came up with a retort.

"Well, thanks for the compliment but-"

"No... I mean like you're burning up!" He used the back of his hand to test the temperature of her forehead but she quickly swatted it away.

"I'm fine!"

Suspicion boiled up in his stomach and Cato hesitated for a moment. Stepping closer to her, their chests touched and he saw her freeze up. Having her distracted, he pulled back her jacket and his eyes widened.

Her shoulder looked terrible. The faint lines that had been there before had darkened considerably. The skin surrounding it was an angry red with extreme inflammation and it looked painful. The fresh blisters did not go unnoticed as well and he internally groaned. Shade cursed under her breath before pulling her jacket sleeve back up. Shoving away from him, she walked back over to her trap. Her hands skillfully reset the large snare and Cato watched with interest.

"You should really get that looked at!" He said and ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair. She grumbled a few curses under her breath and snatched the bow from his hands before stalking off into the tree line. He stood there momentarily, wondering if he should just her blow off some steam or follow. But being Cato, he followed. "Twelve, come back!" He called after her. Once more, he jogged to catch up to her and the fell into silence once again.

"It's my own damn business..." She complained and when he caught up, she didn't look at him. She kept her hazel eyes set on the path ahead of her and trekked on. "I never asked for your help..." She continued to grumble and was about to make another remark before she suddenly saw something move out of the corner of her eye.

She stopped and froze. Her hand shot out and slammed into his chest, causing him to wheeze slightly. Shade tilted her head to the side and shut her eyes in concentration.

"What are you-"

"Shh!" She snapped at him and Cato frowned but followed her directions. He watched as her hazel eyes shot open, blazing with determination and hunger.

Quickly pulling an arrow from her quiver, she strung it and launched the projectile off and it disappeared. Cato narrowed his eyes and watched as Shade marched through the bushes with determination on her face. She bent down and picked up a dead rabbit that had an arrow sticking out from it.

"How'd you...?" He said and watched as she crossed back over to him. Yanking the arrow free, she handed him the dead rabbit and placed the arrow back into her quiver.

"Just a little something I picked up from some friends. I'm also pretty bad ass but whatever..." She said and continued marching through the tree line, almost expecting him to follow. He looked between the girl and the rabbit for a moment.

"God, she's crazy..." He laughed and shook his head before trotting after her.

They finally stopped in a clearing and the first thing Cato noticed was that her wolf was in the clearing. Seeing the tribute enter the clearing, said wolf rose from his spot on the ground and trudged off into the tree line. Shade snorted and placed the firewood she had collected on the ground and began striking her flint stones.

"I don't think he likes you..." She said and continued to work on the fire.

"Well, I'm not to fond of him either... His eyes scare the shit out of me..."

"Well that's a funny thing to be scared of..." She quoted him from before in the cave and she laughed to herself as she continued to work on getting a flame to spark.

"Oh, you think you're funny now?" She looked up at him upon hearing the cold tone to his voice but was relieved when he let a boyish smirk play across his face.

"Hilarious!" She said with complete seriousness before her facade broke and she cracked a small grin as well. The wind rolled through the arena, sending the stray hairs around her face swaying. The sunshine turned her hair into dark golden silk and Cato completely stopped for a moment. Her hazel eyes blazed in concentration as she worked. He swallowed and resisted the urge to brush the stray hairs away from her face.

No. Now was not the time to think about that kind of stuff. This was serious. He needed to focus to stay alive. If she wormed her way into his cold heart, he would be fucked. A definite goner. She was the enemy. The prey and he was the hunter.

"You can leave now! I've got food. They'll suspect something if you don't head back..." Her even voice brought him back to reality. Luckily she hadn't been looking at him or else she would have seen him staring. Shade blew on the small flame which caused it to grow in size. The firelight caused her hair to lighten and made it look like shimmering gold again. Looking down at the dead rabbit in his hands, he tossed it down next to her.

"I can come back tomorrow with supplies for your shoulder if you want..." He said quietly, her eyes flashing up to his. The sincerity in his eyes was real and shone brightly in his blue eyes. The twilight blue irises caused her face to flush and she turned away.

"What makes you think that I want you to come back?" She said quietly and he was startled by her words. She just sounded so cold and closed off. Cato looked back across the river. He could see it between the trees.

They weren't to far away from the Cornucopia and it would probably take about an hour to get back if he hurried.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow..." He said and was about to leave when she stopped him.

"Cato! Wait..." She brought the dagger from her boot and plunged it into the dead rabbit as if she were beginning to skin it. Pulling it out, it was shinning with blood. She whipped her palm across the blade and walked up to him.

"They need to think I'm dead and I'm not taking any chances with you're lying..." She stood before the tall boy, hand raised and covered in red. Reaching out, she hesitantly placed her smaller hand on his opposing cheek before she gently smudged the blood across tan skin. The red liquid adhered to his skin and it was sticky and Cato didn't liked the feel of it. She repeated the process a few more times before finally standing before him, hands stained scarlet and a smirk on her face. She had splattered his clothes with the blood also and he looked as if he had just killed someone. Or he worked in a butcher's shop.

"There! Now they have proof!" She smiled slightly and Cato laughed quietly. Looking down at himself, his lips turned down into a frown. He looked disgusting. She squatted down to finish skinning the rabbit and he was uncertain about what to do.

"You're... You're good with blood..." He said quietly and she looked up at him again.

"I'm a butcher's daughter if you didn't know. What do you expect?" She teased and tossed the rabbit fur aside before wiping her bloodied hands on her clothes along with her blade. "You look how I would after a single day at work..." He felt it was the right time to leave, knowing the others would be anxious if he didn't return sooner.

"Hey, Shade?"

"Yeah?" She didn't look up from her work as she was carefully spearing the rabbit across a stick that she had stripped with her knife.

"Just... Don't die!" He said, his face completely serious. She nodded after a moment and went back to her work. Shade listened to his footsteps disappear into the forest and they grew more quiet the further he got away. She glanced back to see his form disappearing into the trees. She could relax now. He was gone.

She wouldn't have to worry about him dying. He was _Cato_ after all. The maybe-not-so-ruthless killer from District 2.

* * *

**Well, here's another chappie! Hope you like this one! I know I do! Cato actually had an "Oh crap, she's kind of cute..." moment when they were in her camp. Plus he actually helped her with her back again, hopefully it doesn't bother her anymore. *Sigh* if only he was real... Anyway, review and let me know if you guys like the name ****_Skyfall_****. REVIEW, PLEASE!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Third Person's POV**

"Haymitch! It's back on!" Effie called from her spot on the couch. The older man looked over his shoulder from speaking with some sponsors. He only waved her a way before turning back to the colorful people.

"Oh yes! We are completely on board! Shade and Cato are so cute together! The true star-crossed lovers of the Hunger Games!" The smaller woman next to the tall man mused, flitting her hands outrageously as she spoke. _They want to kill each other..._ He thought to himself as he glanced back at the large screen.

Haymitch was able to hold back the scowl that dared to reach his lips as he looked at the disgusting couple. Both of them were dressed in ridiculously priced clothing and were all done up with Capitol body products. But, of course, the mentor would have to put up with them for Shade.

"Yes, they are quite cute together and we are happy to support them!" the man added in with a bright smile. Haymitch only nodded, groaning internally. _Kill me now_.

"And to think! They are from completely different districts and still managed to fall in love!" Haymitch snorted internally but managed to smile on the outside.

"Well, I wouldn't say that they're in _love_ really..."

"No? Then what's that?" The woman pointed over his shoulder to the large screen being projected up onto the wall. It showed Shade and Cato, once again together. Of course, Haymitch had watched as she stumbled into her own trap. Shade wasn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier sometimes.

Cato came to her rescue and freed her, only to end up dropping her and hurting her back. But, to his surprise, the large boy didn't turn on her and kill her in her moment of weakness, instead he placed his hands on her back and put whatever was out of place back where it was supposed to be. Her screams echoed through the speakers in the square and everyone seemed to flinch.

Let's just say, the pretty blonde girl had attracted a lot of attention, some of it good, some bad. The bad was coming from Snow. The more time Shade spent with that damn boy, the more people seemed her _desirable_. In the bad way.

Her once hard shell was cracked and her emotions were showing through, contradicting the once tough appearance she had. Instead, she seemed like a very rare and exotic flower that the male sponsors could not have. The boy gently picked up the Shade, her weight appearing to not even affect him. He gently set her feet gently on the ground and he even messaged her neck.

A quiet 'aww' rippled through the large crowd as the larger boy picked the leaves from her soft hair before gently tugging on her long pony tail. Haymitch didn't like the relationship she was building with this boy. And he also wondered why the Career hadn't taken down his Tribute.

He had been stalking up on his sponsor money, knowing how Shade's shoulder was getting worse. He almost had enough money to buy what he needed, he only hoped he would get enough in time.

* * *

"Well, it's official... Finnick's bored!" Finnick shouted as he lay back on the sandy beach. He angrily ruffled his hands through his hair. They had been doing nothing for about a week and the District 4 Victor was getting moody.

They were all moody.

Peeta wasn't really in the mood to talk and the only person he did talk to was Katniss. The dark haired female was also extremely quiet and only talked to Peeta.

Finnick missed Mags greatly. She had sacrificed herself to save Katniss. Just like everyone else. Just like Shade was doing right now.

He hadn't seen her face up in the sky yet which meant she was alive and kicking somewhere on the other side of the island. He wondered if she had killed someone yet, besides Blight. He had seen her take him down. All he could say was damn. She was efficient. She hadn't even hesitated.

Johanna would be pissed. Her and Blight weren't very close but still. District partners still had to care about one another. It was almost an unwritten rule that had been passed down every year.

"Deal with it!" Said Victor snapped from where she was seated near the base of a tree, waiting for the liquid to finish dripping into the leaf basket Mags had created.

Mags. She shouldn't have died. He wished she hadn't because they had been friends every since he could remember. Originally, she had been his mentor and he never thought they would enter the arena together.

The two district three Victors were also chatting quietly, Beetee was playing with his special wire that he just couldn't seem to leave alone.

Peeta sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. He knew they would have to meet up with Shade soon. More and more Tributes and Victors had been dying as the days passed but every night he would hold his breath. He never saw her face light up the sky though, which caused him great relief.

_Just don't let me see your face up there, Shay. Anyone but you._

* * *

**Shade's POV**

Sitting near the warm fire, I delightedly ate the tasty rabbits leg. It felt good to have warm food in my bell again. And it didn't take long until most of the food was gone.

The wolf at my side grumbled as he had a full tummy from our latest meal. He was content enough to sleep now after he returned shortly after Cato had left. Oddly enough, I wondered if he made it back okay. I hadn't heard a cannon go off but still, there was a nagging feeling in the bit of my stomach.

I patted his fuzzy side and he snorted before licking his lips.

I tossed the bones over my shoulder and they began to form a pile behind me. Sighing in contentment, I relaxed back in the soft grass around me. Life in the arena wasn't so hard. I could live here. To bad the Gamemakers didn't think that way. It still was rather early in the day but as I gazed up at the light blue sky, my eyes growing heavy.

As the warm breeze kissed my skin, my eyes finally closed and I relaxed. My wolf was here so I wouldn't have to worry about attackers or any other dangers.

_Are you, are you_

_Coming to the tree?_

_Where they strung up a man they say murdered three?_

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it be,_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree...  
_

The lonely tune came filtering into my ears at the moment and it was almost as if I could hear my mother singing me to sleep again at night. It was either her or Peeta. Last spring, we had a lot of thunderstorms in District 12. I think my mom called them hurricanes.

All the merchant families back home shared a cellar for when these storms would pay us a visit. We had at least three hurricanes last year so we spent a lot of time in the cellar. It was rather large so that everyone could fit their families inside. But, I was a complete wreck.

The storms would go on for almost an entire day before slowly dying out so I spent plenty of time in the cold cellar in the Earth. And since I had been a wreck, Peeta had taken it upon himself to hold me close and quietly sing me the eerie song. I would usually fall asleep.

And on one of those stormy days in the cellar, I learned that I loved Peeta Mellark.

* * *

**Cato's POV**

After an hour of trekking back to the Cornucopia, I finally stepped into the familiar clearing. Everyone looked up from what they were doing. Marvel had been fixing up Glimmer's leg, probably for the hundredth time, who was also being over dramatic and her eyes were red and puff from crying. Clove was sitting on a log near the fire, sharpening her knives and trying her best to ignore the idiotic couple. The Kaz kid was sitting on top of a crate of supplies just staring at the ground with a spear in his hand.

"I see you're finally b-" Clove began but when she turned to look at me, she froze. I could see her scan my body and then her eyes widened slightly when she caught sight of all the blood. I only held up my hands innocently.

"It's not mine!" I said with a smile before trudging over to one of the large water bins and then taking the ladle out before dumping its clear contents over my head. Putting the ladle back, I ran both my hands through my hair, only to pull it away with scarlet fingers.

Well, damn. She got the blood everywhere.

Dumping another ladle of water over my head, I worked the thick red liquid from my hair and then began to scrub it from my face.

"So you got that bitch?" Glimmer growled and I stopped washing for a moment. My jaw clenched and I was about to snap when Shade suddenly stepped into my thoughts. Play it cool and act as if nothing happened. Nothing did happen.

I would have to lie to keep her trust. To keep her safe.

So, instead of throwing the nearest sharp object at her, I only continued to wash my face for a couple more moments, cooling down my raging temper. But, as soon as I turned my icy gaze upon her and the annoying blonde shriveled back, closer to Marvel.

"Yeah. I killed her." I replied in a cold tone. The lie got my point across and I kept my cool, making sure to keep my gaze steady so they wouldn't know I wasn't lying. I doubt that Marvel or Glimmer could tell but Clove was different. She had been by my side for as long as I could remember.

"But... I didn't hear her cannon go off?" Marvel stated with his eyes narrowed. I only calmly returned his gaze while my mind began thinking for a solution. What could I tell them to make them believe me?

"I cut her good and then strung her up for the mutts to play with..." I added in an evil smirk and Clove's face was stern for a second before a devilish gleam entered her eyes, along with a sideways smirk.

"Good that bitch got what she deserved!" Glimmer laughed quietly before leaning back against a crate of food. Marvel only smiled at her, his lips turned up at the blonde girl's laugh. I inwardly groaned and resisted the bile that threatened to spill from my mouth. But once again my temper spiked when I heard the name Glimmer called her.

Drying my face with a towel that had been cast aside, I sighed and looked down. The once white sheet was stained with blood and surprisingly mud.

Wait, mud?

But holding it in my hands for a moment, I slowly raised it up to my nose and sniffed. I could faintly catch the scent of vanilla and then froze for a moment. I recalled the wonderful smell as it had been on my rusty jacket after Shade had worn it. _Shade_.

She was what smelt like vanilla. This entire time, the smell had remained with her in the arena, it was probably in her shampoo or perfume. But still, it was intoxicating. Raising it up to my nose once more, I took in a deep breath. This was the towel we had shared in the cave.

Looking down at the dirtied rag, I glanced back over my shoulder to find the rest of the Careers were busy. I slipped the towel into my bag, saving it for later. It smelled too good to just throw away.

I remained at the camp for a while, wondering when I could sneak away again and see her. Of course, I could just say I wanted to out hunting again but that would mean they would want to come as well, putting her in danger. And that was not what I wanted to do. She needed the supplies with her shoulder though.

* * *

The next day after having fallen asleep next to the fire, I stirred and sat up, pushing the warm blanket off me. I stretched my arms above my head and cracked my knuckles, followed with my toes, wrists, and neck.

After waking up, I decided I might as well hurry along while everyone else was asleep. Picking up my pack, I walked over to the supplies and rested it on a crate. I unzipped it and began gathering the supplies I would need for her shoulder. As I riffled through my bag, my fingers grazed the terry cloth towel and I picked it up.

I honestly wanted to find her. She was a lot more interesting the rest of these idiots. Well, Clove wasn't an idiot but her District 12 boyfriend was. He never really said anything but in his eyes I could tell he wasn't right. He wasn't completely sane.

However, Shade's shoulder was what worried me. It did not look normal like it should have and I could tell that it was filled with infection. A lot of it. She also had a fever last I checked and she wouldn't last long, even with food and water.

Which meant I would have to get to her fast, but I bet Clove wouldn't let me leave alone after what happened yesterday.

* * *

**Shade's POV**

Damn it. Fuck him. I hated him. He could just go jump off a cliff. And burn and hell. And be skinned alive. Any form of torture was really acceptable.

I cursed him as I stared up at the sky. It was noon on the day after Cato said he would come back. And he wasn't back. But he was supposed to be back.

Was it odd that I was disappointed that he didn't come back?

I don't think so. I was just mad. He was just a dumb Career who wanted to mess with my emotions. He was just playing the Game. He was only doing it to survive. At one point, I had held him at arrow point. I could have killed him. But I didn't. But, right now, I felt like I should have. He was just a worthless piece of shit. Getting my hopes up like the player he was.

Well, I couldn't wait for him forever. And I _wouldn't_ wait for him forever.

I slowly sat up, rubbing my healing back as I groaned. It was true thought, Cato had fixed it but it still hurt like hell. And my shoulder. Good lord! It hurt!

I couldn't even begin to explain the pain I was going through. It was true when he said I felt hot, because I did. I felt like a volcano about to burst. I felt like I was sitting on the sun.

I needed to hurry and find Peeta and Katniss. They would know what to do and how to fix it. I don't think I could find Rue and Thresh again, they would have had to move on after the Careers settled in.

Groaning and rising from my spot on the ground, I weakly pulled the strap of my bag over my right shoulder. I slipped my sword weakly into my belt and grabbed my knife, slipping it back into my boot.

I also snatched up my black jacket and began walking. Well, someone might not call it walking, more like stumbling through the forest. I kept my balance by using the trees as guides.

But suddenly, my vision swam and I had to stop. The sudden motion was to much and I felt my stomach churn.

Placing a hand over my mouth and then my stomach, I struggled for a moment to keep it in before my stomach emptied itself on the forest floor. After I was finished, I wrinkled my nose up with disgust before spitting out the sour taste in my mouth.

Pushing any stray hair out of my face, I stood up straight from my bent position. But, it wasn't a very reassuring feeling, as my stomach felt upset again.

"Oh, here it comes again..." I groaned and then released the remaining food I had in my stomach. And let's just say, there wasn't much inside. The rabbit didn't look as good going down as it did coming up. Although I had eaten last night, I had saved a little bit of rabbit for this morning and had eaten it but well, I guess it didn't sit right with my stomach. Or maybe it was the infection.

My body was starting to rejected what it needed. Shit.

Straightening up, the clearing around me swam once more and the edges of my sight were blurry. Trudging on for what seemed like hours, I finally fell down. My ears rang loudly and I froze. I couldn't do anything so I just lay their with my eyes closed. The forest needed to stop spinning around me. Oh, Haymitch make it stop.

There was a sudden break in the high pitched noise where I could actually hear the wind rustling through the trees. I could hear the river babbling off in the distance. I could hear the birds singing over head. But, another noise accompanied it.

The unmistakable sound of footsteps was heard and I did all that I could not to pass out on the forest floor.

I was seriously not feeling well. My shoulder was once again throbbing painfully and I focused on that pain. Surprisingly, my senses were returned and I could actually feel the damp grass beneath my palms. As the footsteps drew closer, my adrenaline kicked in and my heart rate picked up, causing the blood to flow swiftly through my body.

Drawing my sword out, I readied for whatever was coming my way but I suddenly felt the need to vomit again. I stood up to fast.

The bile rose up in my throat until I could hold it back no longer. It felt as though my guts had been puked out and I was still hunched over in pain. The acid burned in my throat and I stayed like that for a while. I would need water but now was not the time.

"What do we have here, Gloss?"

"I don't know! It looks like a Tribute, Cash!" The brother and sister pair emerged from the trees, their voices sickly sweet with false happiness. I groaned and wiped the remaining bile from my mouth. I hated throwing up.

Standing up, I wiped the sweat from my brow and tried getting my mind to focus once more. Another shudder left my body but the vomit didn't come this time. I think my body was still refusing to heal itself, instead it was fighting itself.

"Oh, shit... It's Blonde 1 and Blonde 2!" I complained as I drew out my sword before weakly leaning up against a tree. The bark dug into my back through the thin material of the wet suit.

"What's wrong _Shay-Shay_? You don't look so good..." Cashmere smiled evilly and I frowned once more.

"Whatever, you're just jealous!" I weakly taunted as I stared at her from underneath my hooded eyes. "You want to know what's wrong Cashmere? Come closer and I'll tell you..." I beckoned her over weakly with my finger. She only snorted before shaking her head, her long platinum blonde pony tail swaying back and forth.

"Don't get to close Cash!" Gloss reminded his sister by placing a hand on her shoulder. She only shrugged it off and began to flounce over.

_That's it... Come closer, little Cashmere..._

The voice in my head cooed and an eerie smile flitted across my lips. My eyes suddenly felt heavy and I didn't feel like myself. It felt like the sickness was taking over.

_Let me help you..._

I was so tired right now, I didn't really care or know what was happening. So I let Her help me. It felt as though my mind seemed to shut off and I was no longer in control of my body. Instead, I could only watch the scenes unfold before me.

Hearing a low growl, I turned towards the noise and my wolf crept into the clearing, his fur raised and his teeth bared just like he had done with the Careers. But, there were only two of them now. My wolf could take care of one. I could take the other. It wouldn't be so hard.

But now that I accepted Her help, it felt as though she were invading my brain and filling me with sickness. She was like a virus spreading through my body.

The white creature began to bark and snarl at the duo and Gloss took a hesitant step back, my body moved without me thinking. My hand immediately snapped to my throwing knife belt. My finger latched around two knives and flung them forward. The first one landed in Cashmere's shoulder and the other she managed to dodge.

How: I didn't know.

My aim appeared to off just slightly as they were aimed to land in her heart and throat. Anger fueled my next actions and the wolf snarled and jumped at Gloss. He let out a loud yell before tripping and stumbling from the small clearing, leaving his sister behind.

Cashmere screamed as she tore the knife from her shoulder before she tried throwing it back at me. I dodged. Pulling out her own knife, she ran at me, her arm oozing fresh blood. Using my own hunting knife, I pulled it from my boot and blocked her smaller blade. We locked together and our strength seemed to be matched for a moment until a hand seemed to sneak behind me and grab onto my pony tail. I let out a hiss of pain as I was dragged down into the dust by my hair.

My body slammed against the ground, my thoughts jumbled and were confusing for a moment.

The next moment, she was on top of me, holding me down with her own weight which, by the way, wasn't much. Her hand clamped up into my hair and she shoved my face down into the dirt.

I could feel myself bite down on my lip, successfully breaking it. My nose also crunched as she slammed it back into the ground and I cried out. But, my shoulder screamed in pain as we scuffled back and forth. Somehow, in our scuffle, we managed to rip at the small amount of healed flesh covering the burn and I could feel blood and other liquid ooze down my arm.

My eyes darted around the small clearing but I couldn't find the second blonde Victor. Where the hell is he?

With some unknown strength I didn't know I possessed, I managed to buck my hips and push her off me while I had seemed to be distracted which caused her to be distracted. Haha. Bitch.

We rolled over and it was my turn to push her face into the dirt, a triumphant smile upon my face. Grasping at the nearest weapon, I picked up my discarded throwing knife and tried to stab her. It missed her head by mere centimeters and I growled in frustration.

Suddenly, the back of her head connected with my already sore nose and my head snapped to the side. I fell back off of her and we broke apart before scrambling to our feet. We were both covered with each other's blood that had turned the dirt around us to mud.

We both were panting heavily and using the back of my hand, I wiped the sweat off my brow using the back of my hand. She came at me once more but I rolled out of the way, ignoring the throbbing pain that came from my shoulder.

Turning around, I narrowly dodged a knife that swung down just inches from my face. She grasped tightly onto my pony tail and tackled me to the ground. My bow went spinning away, along with the quiver but I reached for it despite the distance. Once more, she rolled on top of me and she scratched and clawed at my face with her manicured nails, successfully raking them down the side of my face. I tried pushing her back and it worked but only for a moment.

Sliding up higher on my body, she managed to get my wrists down at my side and held them with her knees.

"I killed him! I killed them both! I killed Peeta and Finnick!" She cooed down at me, using her dagger to trace my jaw line, just like Cato had done, but with his own calloused fingers. I grumbled and tried to shift under her again but she continued to hold me down.

"You lie!" I shrieked and my anger surged once more. I tried to get her off me but she ended up harshly slapping my cheek which made me hiss in pain.

"Nope! I killed Peeta... Nice and slow... And I'm gonna kill you like I killed him!" She hissed into my ear and I felt my hands tingle and I clenched them into fists. Using that same unknown source of strength, I grunted and shoved her completely off me. She flew across the clearing and landed in a bloody heap.

This was the first chance I had to actually pull my sword out. I could see Cashmere's confidence sway slightly at the sight of the long sword but I took it as an opening and rushed forward.

She hastily stood up and her dagger connected with my own blade but using my anger and adrenaline, I shoved her back. Bringing my sword down again with so much force, I knocked her dagger away from her hand.

As my opportunity opened and I was about to raise my sword again to strike her down, I felt myself slip back into my body when my mind opened. So, now I stood before Cashmere, the beautiful Victor who, at the moment, was not so beautiful. Blood soaked her clothes and even dyed the tips of her blonde hair scarlet.

"You didn't kill Peeta, bitch!" I growled. "Do you want to know why?" I tilted my head to the side in an almost taunting manner. I smiled, my teeth glistening red with my own blood. "Because I haven't seen his fucking face up in the sky!" I began to bring my sword down.

She had to die. She had to be gone so Katniss could win. She had to die so I could survive. And for Peeta to live as well. Her death was necessary. Bringing the blade down, I easily ended the beautiful Victor's life. Her blood sprayed up onto me and I winced slightly as the liquid was sprinkled onto my face.

Her cannon was shot off and it rumbled in the distance, signalling Cashmere's death. Another sense of guilt washed over me, the same guilt that had attacked me when I had killed the District 7 Victor, Blight.

My head suddenly swam again and my stomach once again emptied its contents into a pile. My throat burned and I swayed before collapsing to the ground. My hand instinctively went to my shoulder but it felt wet.

Pulling my hand away, it was stained red with my own blood which seemed to be spilling out rapidly. As I examined my shoulder more thoroughly, the dark spots had gotten worse and without the irritated skin that had somewhat healed in the week, there was nothing to stop the dirt from causing even more infection.

Using the sleeve of my jacket, I tried to stop the blood flow but it was no use. I swallowed thickly as I dared to suppress my pain. It hurt so bad. Pressing my jacket up against the wound, I felt the tears begin to streak down my face.

I needed to find Peeta and I needed to get medicine to heal me.

Biting my split lip, I couldn't help the cry of pain that slipped passed my lips. My eyes slipped closed and once again I heard footsteps. My sword lay near Cashmere's body along with my knife and two throwing knives. I whimpered and weakly reached for them but to no avail.

Instead, I opted to use one of the remaining knives I had. Even if they were small, they were all I had.

Gloss was coming back and what he would find would be his dead sister and the Tribute who killed her who was half dead anyways. But, what if he did something worse? Like what if he _touched_ me? I had heard rumors that Tributes had be raped in the arena before. I didn't want to be one of those rumors.

He was an older man and during the Victor's and Tribute's ball, he had seen her flirting with the other Victors and some older Tributes. Luckily, it seemed as though Finnick had kept the District 1 Victor at bay.

The footsteps got extremely close and my breathing caught in my throat. This was it. I was going to die. Right here and right now. I couldn't defend myself. Gloss would torture me before finally ending my life.

The footsteps abruptly stopped and all was quiet for a moment. Then, they came crashing towards me and stopped only a few feet away. I awaited for death to come but it never came.

"Shade?" My eyes slowly opened and just from seeing him, tears fell down my cheeks.

* * *

**Third Person's POV**

Cato followed the path of crushed ferns and frowned. What had Shay been doing when she left her camp? It looked like she was stumbling around, drunk out of her mind.

_Boom._

A cannon sounded off in the distance and his head snapped up. What if she was chased?

His feet carried him swiftly along the path, his pace quickening to a fast jog. His heart beat seemed to stop completely when the silence around him was suffocating. Why weren't the birds singing? It wasn't because of him, so what was it?

As he stepped up in between the trees his heart really stopped this time.

A dead Cashmere lay on the grass, her eyes glazed as she looked up at the sky. A sword lay embedded in her neck and there was a knife a short distance away. But, he noticed the blood drops.

Following the unknown blood trail, his eyes widened when they fell on her form. Sprinting across the clearing, he stopped only about a foot away from her. He watched as her chest weakly rose up and down, but nonetheless, she was breathing. She was alive.

"Shade?" He croaked, surprised how his voice came out. It didn't sound like his normal self. She slowly revealed her hazel eyes and tears fell from them. He felt a bit of relief wash through him. He had made it in time.

"Cato...?" She replied quietly, her voice weak. He suddenly felt his chest tighten.

"Y-Yeah... It's me..." He said and came closer to her, resting his hand on her leg to keep her conscious. He gently patted her leg but he had to watch as her eyes slid closed. "Hey, stay with me!" He growled through gritted teeth, the emotion in his voice showing. Her hazel eyes weakly opened again and focused on his face. "W-Where's Gloss?" Cato asked, knowing that he wouldn't be to far away from his sister.

"I don't know... I think the wolf chased him off..."

"So he might come back..." Cato mused as he gripped his sword tightly while glancing around the small clearing. He couldn't hear any other noises around them but he could almost guess that the Gamemakers were getting a cannon ready for her.

"I'm cold, Cato..." She said quietly, her voice seeming to be drained of any energy. For the first time, he realized just how hot she was. Her skin was burning up and a frown pulled at the corners of his mouth.

"No, you're... You're gonna be fine!" He said quietly, his voice catching on the words that had threatened to come out of his mouth. "Hold on, Shay!" He said and gently shook her.

"I just want to sleep..." She said quietly and her eyes shut. He grasped her face in both his hands and grabbed at her cheeks. He began to grow frantic as her eyes wouldn't open. What could he do? WHAT COULD HE DO?!

"No! Don't fall sleep! If you fall asleep, you won't wake up!" He shook her again and even in her weakened state, she wrinkled up her nose and tried pushing him away.

A small glimmer of hope was placed back into his chest when he heard the beautiful beeping noise. Glancing back at the weak girl before him, he turned and sprinted after the noise.

His bright blue eyes searched his surroundings, desperately searching for the sponsor gift. The beeping grew louder and he saw it floating gently towards him. He ran to it, jumping as high as he could and he snatched it from the air. He raced back in the direction where he left Shade, ripping the parachute off the top.

Reaching the clearing, he dropped down to his knees at her side. She weakly shifted and grumbled something under her breath. He thought it was curse words.

"Don't try to move..." He warned her as he ripped the lid off, not bothering to look at the note on top. Inside the silver container lay a syringe filled with a weird yellow liquid. There was another note underneath it.

WILL CAUSE DROWSINESS. TEMPORARY BLINDNESS IS POSSIBLE.

Of course, the fucking Gamemakers would make medicine have a side effect. He pulled the plastic covering off the needle before glancing back at the seemingly asleep female.

"SHADE, WAKE UP!" He yelled at her, the worry could be easily heard in his voice and he was getting really nervous. He watched as her breathing got even shallower and he swallowed nervously. Her hazel eyes once again opened, even more slowly than before and he shook her. He held up the syringe in front of her eyes and watched as they seemed to widen with fear.

"I don't need that..." She complained and tried to push it away with her hand. Instead, he capture her's in his own and pulled her towards him.

"This will help you!"

"Cato... don't..." She protested and gathering all her strength, tried to pull away from him.

"Shade! You want to see Lover Boy again, don't you?" The dying tribute scowled for a moment.

"Don't call him that!" She scolded weakly and he rolled his eyes.

"You want to see Peeta again, right?" He watched as she seriously thought about it. Yes, she did want to see Peeta again. It was one of the only things she really wanted before she had to die. He saw her eyes flit to the needle again and he heard her groan weakly.

"It'll help..." He looked directly into her eyes and she swallowed. His jaw clenched in concentration and he willed her to agree. She slowly nodded after a moment and with a new haste, he moved her head to the side and jabbed the thick needle into her neck. He heard her whimper slightly from the stinging sensation but he had to keep going. This pain would be nothing compared to what she must be experiencing.

Pressing the end down, he watched as the yellow liquid was drained. Pulling her jacket sleeve away, he watched as the black lines immediately grew lighter. Life seemed to spark back into her hazel irises and her breathing grew deeper.

Her back went rigid all at once, it seemed her skin returned to its somewhat normal color. It must be some sort of adrenaline or something.

The blood returned to her cheeks and she seemed to get her strength back for a moment until she slumped forward into him. Okay, so it was a temporary adrenaline.

Her head lolled to the side and he grasped her shoulders gently before turning her over, being careful to avoid the shoulder that had blood dripping down it. Looking over at the container, he noticed the note for the first time.

**It's pretty damn hard to kill two tributes... -H**

Upon reading the note, Cato smirked again. Oh, such bluntness. But, he was making a good point. Two tributes could survive so much longer when there were two of them instead of one. Then, he needed to get her out of here before Gloss came back.

"Here we go..." Cato placed his hands under her legs and back again. He gently lifted her from the ground, swinging her bow and quiver over his own shoulder. Her head leaned into his shoulder slightly yet her skin still burned against his own.

Shade felt better after the shot but the ache in her shoulder lessened but it continued to bleed. She looked up at him with her hazel eyes and they blinked slowly. She weakly looked up at his strong jawline and she just wanted to reach a hand up and stoke it.

Wait, no. She was delusional. It was the drugs talking right now. Fuck the medicine. She could touch him if she wanted. The delusion could just be used as an excuse later.

"You're pretty..." She said quietly, her fingers weakly reaching up and touching the soft skin of his jaw line. He just smiled slightly down at her before he adjusted his grip on her. Her eyes grew heavy as she rocked gently in his arms with every step he took. She sighed and rested her head on his bicep.

"Can I sleep now?" She asked after what felt like the longest time, her voice soft and her eyes seemed extremely heavy as Cato's eyes looked down at her.

"You can sleep now..." He told her quietly.

As if in relief, she sighed and let her eyes roll to the back of her head. He continued on with his pace but watched her for a moment. She looked so peaceful and serene sleeping now that her shoulder wasn't bothering her. For a minute, he thought she had left him but the steady rise and fall of her chest proved to him that she was alive.

Which brought back to reality how wet his shirt was with her blood. And now that he looked at her, she was a mess. Her lip was split, her nose was dripping blood, and she had three long scratches down the side of her face. Cashmere beat the shit out of her.

When Cato finally found a place that they could rest, he would fix her shoulder up with the supplies he brought with him.

His head turned to the side when he heard the rustling of ferns as someone stepped into the clearing. He was about ready to reach for his blade and drop her when he only realized it was her ominous white wolf. Its amber eyes raked across him before seeming to fall on the girl. Intelligence seemed to boil in its eyes before the eerie amber irises pulled back up to Cato's in an almost accusing manner.

And then, with one snort, the beast turned and walked out of the clearing with his tail held high. Cato only watched him leave for a moment but the wolf stopped and looked at the boy over his rear. He wanted Cato to follow him.

He watched the wolf for a moment before following after it. He was the last thing she had so the least he could do was trust him.

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed I love all you guys and I'd like to just tell you how much I love you people! Another Shade and Cato moment! She almost died and I hate it! But, it had to be there! Anyway, thanks again and I just wanted to say thanks to my Unnamed Geek reviewers! You guys have reviewed in almost every chapter and they are so long!**

**Cato to the rescue! He actually saved her this time! So cute. And Shade and Cato are going to stay together for a long, long time.**

**Changed the name finally so don't look for What the Water Gave Me anymore... Now its Skyfall!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Shade's POV**

_Holy shit... What even happened? Am I dead? I certainly feel dead. I should be dead. Can I be dead? Things would be easier if I was dead. I don't think I would ache this much if I was dead. Dead probably doesn't hurt. _

A quiet groan escaped my lips as I rolled over. There was a dull throbbing pain in my shoulder but nonetheless, I stayed on that side. I really didn't care anymore.

_Ouch._ Something is digging into my back. It hurts. Make it stop.

Rolling over onto my other side, this felt better with my left shoulder exposed to the sky. But, as I rolled over, I ran into a face full of soft fur. I made the mistake of inhaling and it felt as though I had inhaled a cat. Not that I've ever inhaled a cat before.

Hearing a snort, I felt a cold nose on my cheek, followed by a sticky tongue. "Mmmm... Yuck!" I said and swatted at the blasted wolf. He grumbled and I didn't care still as I snuggled into his side.

"Save some snuggling for me!" Hearing his voice, I contemplated whether or not to go back to sleep. Turning my head in the direction, I opened my eyes. Everything was dark. We must be in a cave. I blinked and opened my eyes again. It was seriously pitch black in hear. I looked around. Oh shit. Where was Cato at? He was somewhere in the dark.

But then I realized something. I could feel the heat of a fire before me. I could hear it crackling. I could small the smoke. Why wasn't I seeing the fire. Oh, God. I can't see. I CAN'T SEE.

Apparently, Cato sensing my horror-filled silence, shifted. I turned towards him, or at least where I thought he was.

"What?"

"WHY. CAN'T. I. FUCKING. _SEE_!" I screamed at him, or where I thought he was. "WHY CAN'T I SEE!"

"The note said you might be sight impaired for awhile. It's just one of the side effects..." I narrowed my eyes, trying to the get the world to appear again. Instead, it only seemed darker and I bit my lip. Which by the way, hurt as well. I winced slightly before releasing my lip from between my teeth. A frown pulled at the corners of my lips and I rubbed my eyes.

"A side effect?! A FUCKING SIDE EFFECT!?" I screamed and my voice raised a few octaves.

"Would you calm down? You'll be fine..."

"_Fine_? I'll be _fine_! Come here and let me stab your eyes out so you can't see and we'll see how _fine_ you are!" I hissed, my anger getting the best of me. "How long will it last?" I asked as I wrinkled my nose up and brought my hand before my face. He didn't answer. "I said, how long with it last?!"

"Only a couple more hours! The drugs were supposed to keep you out longer but I guess they weren't as strong as I thought..."

"A couple more hours?! How am I supposed to anything without seeing?"

"I don't know!"

"I WANNA SEE!"

"WELL I CAN'T HELP YOU WITH THAT!" I suddenly grew quiet, not knowing what else to say. He just yelled at me and I know that if we keep yelling at each other, it could get physical.

"I don't like this..." I hold up my hands and feel around my eyes. They felt just like they would have with my eyes open but it was still weird that I couldn't see my fingers.

"Are you hungry?" I turned towards his voice but didn't know what else to do. But, at the right moment, my stomach growled, signaling that I was indeed hungry. He apparently heard it. "I'll take that as a yes..."

Once again, I heard his boots scrape against what sounded like rock. They echoed through the seemingly small area and I heard something metal scrape across the ground. Suddenly, his footsteps were closer to me and I flinched. Shutting my eyes, I turned away from the noise. I felt him sit down beside me and the wolf grumbled and moved away.

Cato scooted closer to me and I felt him press up against my side, a silent reminder that he was right beside me. I tensed up and bit on my lip again but winced a second time.

It was weird not seeing him and I didn't like it. Not that I liked his face or anything. It was just nice to be able to see the world.

A wonderful smell suddenly filled my nose and my mouth immediately began to water. "What is that?" I said slowly so that dribble wouldn't spill from my mouth. I could tell that it was meat but it smelt _so_ good.

"Food..."

"No, WHAT IS THAT!?" I pointed at whatever was in his lap.

"Steak..."

"Where did you get steak!?" I nearly squeaked.

"Haymitch. I think he likes me. He said, 'Here's for all the times you brought me meat...'" He said, apparently quoting the note that was attached to this package. "Don't know what that means but whatever..." Cato grumbled and I only smiled. I knew what it meant.

"It's a long story... I'll tell you some other time..." I leaned back slightly on my hands. "But, don't flatter yourself. Haymitch hates you."

"Oh, that's reassuring!" He snorted before growing quiet.

"Can we eat yet?" I asked, reaching for the container of food even though I didn't know where it was at. I was starting to get impatient. I wanted food.

"Would you just calm down for _two_ seconds?" He asked before I felt a hand on my face. His large hand covered my face entirely and I grumbled as I reached for the container. His palm gently pressed into my nose, which I might add, hurt, and he pushed me away but I continued to reach for it blindly.

"Here! Here! Here!" We continue to struggle for a few more moments before he gently grabbed onto my chin and apparently forced me to face him. "Open!" He commanded but it wasn't very polite and I didn't.

"Open!" He growled and I didn't once more before he squeezed my cheeks together, creating a small opening between my lips. I probably looked like a fish. "Here!" He shoved in the meat and I about cried. I hadn't tasted anything this warm or delicious in forever. It reminded me so much of home and I opened my mouth waiting for food like a baby bird.

His hand once again took a hold of my chin and another piece of meat was placed in my mouth. I slowly chewed it, savoring in the delicious juices that the meat had been cooked in.

"Haymitch... I love you...!" I said between bites and sighed through my nose. I could almost hear the older man laughing at me but shrugged it off. He was also the one who gave me this damn blinding medicine.

"And who exactly is feeding you again?" Cato inquired and again, I could hear the smirk on his face. That's right. I could _hear_ it. I could also see him possibly raising an eyebrow at me but of course I couldn't _see_ that. Don't be silly, you can't hear an eyebrow.

"And I appreciate it greatly!" I let my tone fill with sarcasm and Cato snorted. Using the fork that came with the food, he put another piece into my mouth. I could faintly hear the sawing of the meat and a quesiton came to mind.

"What are you using to cut the meat?"

"A fork?"

"And?" He didn't answer and my suspicions only grew. "You're using one of my knives aren't you?" I growled menacingly before I blindly felt around for his other hand with the knife. I reached out, desperately trying to find the missing blade. Searching for his face, I managed to grab hold of his hair for a few moments. He let out a hiss of pain but managed to keep the container away from me.

"God, you're just like Clove! Always nagging me to stop using her knives!" He once again pushed me away, this time using his booted foot to gently keep me at bay. Reaching down to my belt, I found that it was completely gone and I frowned.

"You took my throwing knives!" I yelled at him but his foot still kept me a good distance away from him. He laughed loudly and then he was silent as he took a bite of the the steak himself.

"So observant when it comes to your damn weapons and you have yet to realize that you are sitting in your bra..." Now that he did mention it, where ever we were, it was a little cold. I hadn't realized until now because the wolf had been keeping me warm.

Upon realizing how exposed I was, my cheeks had to turn a bright red. I felt my cheeks burn and that wasn't the only thing that was burning. Cato only chuckled quietly and I felt... really nude.

Immediately, I climbed to me feet, about falling over in the process. I blindly felt around and started walking forward, searching for anything that could cover me up.

"Don't fall in the fire!" He suddenly yelled just as I stepped closer to the heat. I had only just felt the source of the heat that filled the seemingly small space but it was too late. An arm snaked around my waist at the last second and pulled me away to safety. My hand brushed against some type of fabric and I picked it up. When I was falling backwards, I tensed to fall against the hard ground but was met with the soft cushion of a broad chest.

"I swear, I look away for five seconds and you almost kill yourself!" He complained, his voice very close to my ear. I could feel the warmth of his chest touching my bare skin. However, the heat didn't stop. I then came to realize that I was seated between his legs and I began to panic.

"Why don't I have a shirt on!?" I all but screamed at him once more, using the fabric to cover my chest. From what I could tell, it was a jacket, mine I'm guessing. If it were Cato's, I'm sure he would have made some snarky remark about it.

"Well, for one, it had a huge hole in the shoulder. Two, it was covered in blood and blood. And three, your fever was cooking you in the damn suit and you probably would have died if I left it on!" Reaching up into the jacket, I felt my shoulder. It was wrapped and padded with some gauze and the wrappings traveled from my elbow up to my collar bone. They itched.

"Well, thanks I guess..." I said quietly, diverting my sightless eyes to the floor. I felt Cato shift behind me and I froze.

"Your welcome. Plus, there was a little entertainment in it for me..." I did not move and my face filled with blood as I blushed heavily. Sensing my tension, Cato laughed loudly and it echoed around where ever we were at. "I'm just joking! I'm not a perv like that..." He reassured but I couldn't help the burning sensation that filled my cheeks.

"Yet that didn't keep you from taking my top off..." I grumbled under my breath. I hope he didn't hear me.

"What did you say?" He leaned down so his mouth was right by my ear. His warm breath tickled and I couldn't help but shiver slightly.

"NOTHING!"

"That's what I thought..." He grumbled but I could still detect a sense of humor in his voice. We dropped into silence once more and I leaned forward a bit so that we weren't touching. I just sat between his legs. It was uncomfortable.

"So... Where are we? This doesn't feel like grass and I don't hear the river...?"

"A cave."

"The same cave as before?"

"Of course not! The Careers know where that one is!" Cato exclaimed and I rolled my eyes. "I swear you think I'm stupid sometimes!"

"Not sometimes, all the time..." I grumbled and rubbed my eyes once more. I heard him grumble something under his breath and I shook my head with a smile. "I'm kidding, Cato!"

"You better be..." There was a bit of sarcasm in his tone.

"I'm so scared!" I taunted and I could picture his face smirking in my head. We both lapsed into silence again and I yawned loudly and tried stretching but my arms ended up nearly hitting his face and he had to swat them away. I would pester Cato any chance I got. He was the reason I was blind.

"Ugh... I feel drugged!" I moaned.

"That's probably because you still are drugged..." He replied and I tried scowling at him but I was too tired to make a really convincing one. I suddenly felt the need to throw up again after moving around blindly but luckily it passed. My head swam for a moment and my limbs felt numb with the drugs that I hadn't really noticed before. At least the pain from my shoulder was gone. Or merely, dormant.

"Yeah... Looks like we're gonna be here longer than I thought..."

"How long have we been here?"

"Two days..."

"TWO DAYS!" Cato stayed quiet for a moment and my voice cracked from not being used. I heard his feet shift for a moment and I grumbled. _Two days? _"I've been blind and drugged for two days?! What the hell even happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"Some, but it's hazy. I remember Cashmere... And killing her... And you-you were there..." Cato sat silently and I wondered why he had gotten so quiet. I had the sudden feeling that he wasn't telling me something. Something important. Or something bad. "Cato?" He didn't say anything and the only sound he made was his quiet breathing. Carefully leaning back, I kept going until I felt his chest against my back. Reaching out, I luckily found what felt like a hands as well and I held it in both of my own. Butterflies flitted around my stomach at the closeness between us. "What's wrong?"

"You almost died..." His voice was so quiet I was lucky to hear him.

"But, you saved me... Everything turned out-"

"But, Shade! You almost _died_! And it was my fault! I shouldn't have left you alone! I knew how bad your shoulder was, but I still left!"

"Why do you even care? You're a _Career_!"

"You act like a Career is some sort of monster! Are you afraid of me?" His voice continued to raise and I turned around to face him.

"To be honest, you scare me shitless!"

"Shut it! I'm not done talking!"

"Neither am I!" I growled, wondering why he was so moody lately. I could feel his chest rumble against me in anger and it made me slightly nervous. He was still the trained killer from 2. I had to be careful.

"I know you're not! You're never done talking! It's like the only thing you do anymore!"

"Considering I've been blind and drugged for the past few days... I've been a little incapacitated! Damn drug..."

"It saved your life!"

"I don't care! If you actually knew me, you would know that I'm scared of needles!"

"Oh, God! Here we go again! First the storms, now this?!"

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP!" I yelled and it echoed around the small cave but a hand suddenly reached around and covered my mouth. Great. I was blind and mute.

"Not so loud!" He hissed in my ear. His breath tickled my ear again. I was tempted to head butt him but nobody wins with a head butt. Grumbling to myself, I bit down on his fingers which effectively removed them. He let a string of curses fly from his mouth and I smirked triumphantly.

"That's what you get from getting your fingers to close to my mouth... And if you haven't figured it out, I'm a biter..." I said and rolled my eyes, at least I thought I did. Everything was different when blinded. I heard Cato snicker.

"I bet you are..." He taunted and then my cheeks heated up due to his sexual innuendo. "Well you don't have to worry about getting another shot anytime soon!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"'Cause you won't be getting wounded anymore..."

"And why's that?" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my head to the side.

"'Cause you're never leaving my sight again..." Both of us dropped into silence. It wasn't a graceful drop either. It was like dropping a boulder into a lake. Or maybe even a belly flop.

His words brought a tingling sensation back into my stomach. I could feel my cheeks start to redden, but it wasn't as harsh as the first couple times. I'm sure that if I were able to see the sincerity in his blue eyes, my body would have flushed a bright red. But, the way he said it. It was almost a matter of fact kind of deal. Like I was supposed to know.

I suddenly found it quite difficult to find my words which ended up in my mouth opening and closing a few times like a dying fish. Instead, I can only manage one word. And that word I have only ever used to describe myself.

"Awesome." I manage to croak out but I mentally slap myself across the face. Great, now I look like a dumb ass. I simply shut my eyes for a moment wondering what else I could possibly do to lose sponsors.

I didn't dare move when I felt his fingers suddenly trace along a patch of skin on my back. I shivered as his fingers ran up the old scar that lay there, bringing back many memories. None of them were good. His fingers continued to trace the circular scar.

"Where did you get this?" Cato asked after awhile. I was silent for a moment and swallowed, his fingers moving over the once sensitive spot. I didn't know if I should tell him.

"I was shot by a Peacekeper..." I muttered before pulling the jacket up over my front to cover my shoulders. When I said that, his fingers stopped for a moment before slowly restarting.

"Do I have to ask why?"

"I was doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing and I almost got caught. Let's just leave it at that." I tensed, trying to tell him to just leave it alone. It was a sensitive subject. I never talked about it with anyone. Not even my family. Not even Peeta. It was just a thing of the past. "And I don't think you're a monster..."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are! Your skin is bright red!" His voice took on a teasing tone and he trailed his fingers over my skin again.

"Did you ever think that was because of a different reason?" I growled, not liking his teasing. I grew up with two older brothers but I still didn't like being teased. Cato was silent behind me before I felt him scoot up closer to me before I felt his lips ghost over my shoulder in a teasing way. My skin flushed even more.

"Is this the reason?" He breathed against my skin and I scooted forward again while squirming in his grasp.

"No!" My voice wavered slightly. His lips moved up more towards my neck and I shivered. I then _felt_ and heard Cato laugh against my skin which caused me to shutter once more.

"Now you're lying!" He teased before he removed his lips and sat back slightly.

"You're not a monster..." I repeated quietly. Cato pressed his lips briefly against my shoulder only one more time before he leaned back.

"It's nice to know that somebody believes that..." He said quietly and I felt him shift slightly behind me. "So... If we're making an alliance, how is this supposed to work? We're from two different districts..."

"So? Clove and your partner are together..." Oh boy. The one person who I didn't want to think about right now. Clove was probably one of the only people in the Hunger Games that truly terrified me.

Underneath her cool demeanor, lay a monstrous little demon child who didn't need to think twice about killing people. Except maybe Cato. I don't doubt she would kill Marvel and Glimmer, who were powerful apart and together. No wonder they volunteered together, they were the perfect match. They complimented each others' weaknesses and strengths.

But thinking about them made me realize something else. Cato and Clove were the same way. They fit together like pieces in a puzzle. Cato was close combat, hand-to-hand; Clove was long range but her close combat skills weren't shabby either.

And then there was me. Where did I fit in? I could use multiple long range weapons and I could use a sword and knives. Plus, I was quick and agile because of gymnastics and lifting hundred of pounds of dead meat each day. I also wasn't weak. I just didn't view myself that way.

_Oh, God. I'm a Career._

But, could I really compliment Cato's abilities? He was close range, I was long range. If we worked at it, I'm sure we could survive together. Except if I leave the food gathering to Cato, seeming as he doesn't know how to hunt, I'm pretty sure we would starve.

_We could actually make this work..._

"But, I mean... We fight..."

"We don't fight!"

"Really? Are we going to fight about fighting?" I snapped.

"We don't fight! I would call it... Bickering like an old married couple..." I deadpanned and turned to look in his direction.

"We argue. Let's just leave it at that..." I said as I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck. Cato apparently realized the awkward situation as well and I could feel the tension in the air. I could still feel the warmth coming from his body.

"So... What are we going to do now?" I could hear Cato shift behind me, seeming happy that I changed the subject. I could hear him rub his hands together, as if he wanted to explain his plan to me.

"Well... You're going to sleep off the drugs and I'm going to keep watch!" He said rather cheerfully and upon mentioning it, I did feel really tired. Like I could sleep for a month. Maybe more. Two months.

"Hmm... Maybe we should switch roles and you could sleep while the blind girl kept watch!" I said sarcastically which caused him to snort but nonetheless, I wanted to lay down. I just glanced back at Cato as I rubbed my arm nervously. I couldn't see and I didn't really want to move. I would probably fall in the fire again. Cato sighed heavily.

"Lean back." He ordered me. Swallowing nervously, I slowly eased myself back until I felt the firmness of his chest behind me. Cato also reclined back slightly and I guessed that he was leaning back against the cave wall. I didn't even need a blanket with Cato underneath me. He was so warm. The longer I laid there, the sleepier I got. Finally, I just gave into the drugs that pulled at the back of my mind and I let my head fall back.

Sleeping was so great. Especially with Cato as a pillow.

* * *

**Alright, so there was a lot of dialogue in this chapter. Why, you might ask?**

**CAUSE SHE IS BLIND!**

**There really is no other explanation for it. Through her eyes, she can't really be descriptive when it comes to the new area around her because she hasn't seen it. Also, she is finding it hard to read Cato's feeling because she can't see his eyes which are like an open book.**

**I love Haymitch. I mean, he just cracks me up and his notes? They are going to start meaning something after she is able to see once more. How many gifts had she had now, like three? The hot chocolate, the syringe, and the steak. Okay, three. Awesome.**

**Anyway, had kind of a cute moment and they do bicker like an old married couple! :) Shade just doesn't like to say it like that, given how she is starting to feel about him. So just kind of a fluffy chapter.**

**Warning: the next chapter will contain so much fluff, you could build a sheep with it!**

**And maybe it will be in Cato's POV... Would you guys like that?**

**This is the longest author's note I've ever written... REVIEW, PLEASE!**

**P.S. Thank you to Ominously and once again the Unnamed Geeks for writing long reviews. You bring genuine smiles to my face. :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Cato's POV**

Good lord. She infuriated me. She made me furious beyond all belief, yet she still made me stay. How, I didn't know but as she laid there for two days, drugged and half dead, I couldn't find it in my cold heart to leave her.

During the first day, nothing had really happened. She had slept and hardly moved at all. Her wolf had stayed in the cave with us, probably worrying that I would hurt her or something. Weird animal.

Anyway, once we had settled in, I set to work fixing her shoulder. For the first half hour or so, I just sat there, wondering what I should do. Her blood on my hands was enough to convince me to bandage her shoulder.

My fingers inched forward and I knelt beside her, leaning over her slightly. My fingers gripped onto the zipper of her wet suit. I swallowed and pulled it down a few inches, exposing the top of her chest, revealing her cleavage.

I had to stop and lean back for a couple moments. It felt _wrong_ taking her shirt off like this. I didn't have her permission. It felt _wrong _because she was a decent girl. She wasn't a whore and she didn't deserve this. I felt dirtyin a really bad way. Like I was hurting someone innocent. I was hurting her in the worst way.

My eyes caught something glinting in the firelight. I took the small metallic charm into my fingers, gently lifting it from her soft skin. It was a small silver wolf pendant. Her token. How odd.

I glanced over at the wolf who was in the corner, his amber eyes watching me intently. We just stared back at each other for a couple of minutes before he looked away.

Oh, shit. Her shoulder. I needed to stop the bleeding or else she would bleed out and die. And I couldn't let that happen. Not after I had saved her with the Capitol medicine. I hastily dropped the silver pendant, letting it fall and rest back onto her chest.

Moving to lean over her again, I pulled the zipper down the rest of the way in one quick movement. It exposed her toned stomach and chest, which was thankfully covered by a black sports bra. Taking another deep breath, I pushed the shoulder of her shirt back. My eyes snapped to her face to find that she didn't even flinch, and I snorted.

Those drugs really knocked her out. She wasn't feeling any of this.

Taking my hand, I lightly slapped her cheek and her head only turned to the side slightly. I chuckled to myself but then a dark thought entered my mind.

I could always leave her here because at the time, I had only thought she would be out for the couple hours, not the days that really happened.

But, as I looked down at her sleeping form, I couldn't bring it to myself to leave. She wouldn't stand a chance if I were to leave her here. She would be a sitting duck for any cold blooded tribute who came by. So I took it on myself to protect her.

And there was Gloss whose sister was dead. And he had to be so pissed. Or was gonna be pissed. Who wouldn't be if someone killed your sister?

Everyone would die without another thought in my book. Even Shade. That's why I had to get home. To protect what I loved most.

I quickly set to work cleaning and wrapping her shoulder. I slipped her dirty shirt off and tossed it aside. There was no good that would come from that anymore.

_Boom._

I stopped my work as the cannon rang through the arena. Another one was dead. One less tribute to go until I could get home. One less tribute until I had to fight against Shade. And she was hurt. Thinking about it, I unfastened the belt that was strapped around her waist.

I hesitantly removed it, wondering if somehow, she would know and then hit me for taking it off. For taking her knives. She was oddly enough like Clove. They both had a thing for knives.

Tilting her face towards me, I whetted a towel with some water from a canteen and dabbed the blood away from her split lip. It was very bloated and some of the blood from her nose dripped into her mouth. She also three long scratches across her face which I tentatively cleaned.

I just sat there next to her for a moment, taking in her peaceful features. It appeared as though nothing could hurt her or would ever hurt her. But, this was the Hunger Games where anything could happen.

Wiping the last of the blood from her lips, my thumb traced her split lip, feeling how bloated it was. Cashmere must have had a pretty good swing for this to happen. It's a wonder Shade didn't loose any teeth. I continued to subconsciously run my thumb along the soft lips before pulling away quickly.

Nope, can't start that stuff now. This isn't the time for that. _Do I even want any sponsors anymore? Or, would she help me get sponsors? People might really like us together. Or they might like us apart. Who knows..._

With a huff, I turned and looked into the small fire I had managed to build. I'm just so confused.

On the second day, things picked up a little.

Her shoulder had managed to stop bleeding and I changed the bandage for the second time. I had left her alone for most of the day, that is until she managed to roll over. That quickly pushed my thoughts from my mind and I watched her. She mumbled something under her breath before sighing and snuggling into that huge fur ball of hers. He responded, of course, with a woeful sigh and just let her sleep on him.

She slept for a couple more hours until she started to whimper. I only glanced at her for a moment before she suddenly screamed and kicked out. She began to thrash about and the wolf grumbled and crawled away slightly, wanting to escape her kicking.

"PEETA!" She screamed and it surprised me when tears began to slide down her cheeks. Her lower lip quivered and she was shaking again. I just sat there and watched her, not daring to move closer. The drugs were beginning to wear of and she was becoming more conscious and her dreams more vivid. Maybe a side effect?

"PEETA! DON'T! STOP, PLEASE!" She whimpered and it sounded as if she was begging. Begging for Peeta's life maybe? "F-F-Finnick..." she mumbled again and her cries grew quiet for a moment but the tears continued to stream down her dirty cheeks.

Becoming slightly cross, I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my arms on them, looking back into the fire. I just needed to let her cry herself out and thrash about so it would leave her system. It wasn't my problem to deal with. She was just another kill.

"C-Cato..." She managed to whisper out and my ears pricked when I heard my name come from her lips. My head turned in her direction and I half expected her to be awake, but she wasn't.

It surprised me even more when she repeated my name and the tears stopped falling. Her fingers began twitching, as if she were using them in her dream. Her lips also moved, as if she was talking to someone but no words came out. Hesitantly looking around the small cave, I dropped forward onto my hands and knees and crawled over to her. As if feeling that I was near her, she just stopped moving all together. My hand clenched up into a fist and my emotions battled on the inside.

Instead, I settled on just sitting next to her for the time being, keeping watch and making her feel safe, even if she was mostly unconscious.

On the third day, shit about exploded.

Well, she woke up. And she had freaked out on me when she found out she was temporarily blind. Well, at least I hoped it was temporary. The label said it was temporary. Oh, it would suck if she was stuck like that.

She had surprised me when she had rolled over and complained about her fuzz ball of a pet. Then, being the smooth lady's man that I was, I made a remark about cuddling with her which sure got her blood pumping. She seemed rather frazzled for the first few moment before she was about to send back a snarky reply when she opened her eyes.

Two days, I had gone without seeing them open. To me, she seemed fine. At first, I didn't realize that she couldn't see. Until she exploded, again.

Oh, lord. It was useless nagging about how she couldn't see. Of course I listened and acted like I cared. But, did I really care? Why should I care? She was just a girl. Only another girl that would eventually have to die.

But, anyway, then, she was hungry. Haymitch had sent us a package containing some high quality meat. The note attached to it was a bit confusing but I think it was an inside thing with Shade.

It was weird how he knew when she would wake up but the more I thought about it, it made sense. Haymitch probably had a precise time set for when she would get her vision back and the drugs would leave her system.

And I knew that she would be hungry, too. But, the way Haymitch had worded the last couple notes, implied that _he_ wanted us to be together. _He_ wanted a _Career_ to be with _his_ tribute. A _Career_!

Was he crazy? Or did he know something?

So, I fed her. I fed her the damn steak. I had some too and might I add, it was _so_ good. And then she came at me like one of the mutated wolves. I thought she was going to rip my face off if I didn't put more steak in her mouth and then she realized that I was using one of her knives.

Oh, lord. It happened again.

She was just like Clove when it came to her knives. The damn things. I just blinked in surprise when she still hadn't realized that she didn't have a shirt on. And I made the mistake of telling her.

She exploded for the third time that day. And then she almost fell in the fire. I swear, it was like dealing with a child. And then I basically pulled her to my chest so she wouldn't burn herself. It was nice and then I noticed something on her back.

Then we started to argue. She called me a monster. She told me that I scared her shitless. Good. I was happy to know that I still instilled fear in the hearts of others.

And then, I told her I shouldn't have left. I don't know why I said it, it just sort of slipped. I promised her I wouldn't ever leave again, and that I would keep true to that promise. 'Cause I would. I wouldn't leave her again. Or else this would happen all over again.

She brought up Clove. Which was a sensitive spot. I knew that it would be hard leaving my partner. Especially with those two idiots. She could handle herself though and probably left once she realized I wasn't coming back.

But, Shade quickly got tired and fell back asleep. On me. And now, here I sat, just looking down at her. This woman angered me and confused me to no end. But she was warm on my chest and I dared not move.

She could be flirtatious at times, but then quickly dip back into her reserved self. She could be stubborn but then suddenly bend to my will. Hot and Cold. Bipolar. But she sure kept me on my toes.

And I liked it. Never a dull moment with the girl from District 12.

* * *

**Shade's POV**

I suddenly sat up and with a sharp intake of breath, I took in the dark scene before me. I could hear the fire crackling and feel the heat coming from the flames, yet I couldn't see them. Well, I was still blind.

I had been having a nightmare. _She_ was back. And she was attacking _everyone_. Peeta, Katniss, Finnick, Cato. Just like the same dreams before this one. I couldn't stop her. No one could. She was just too strong.

Listening intently, I waited to here and feel Cato's breathing behind me or the shifting of his clothes. But, I didn't. I knew I wasn't deaf because I could hear the fire. But I couldn't hear Cato. I couldn't feel Cato.

I felt at the spot where I had last known where he was and to my surprise, it was warm. Cato wasn't there but he had been. Recently. I sat up until I came to rest on my knees. He wasn't behind me anymore. My back felt cold.

"Cato?" I asked quietly but no one answered. My heart rate picked up and I swallowed nervously. I called out his name again but there was no reply once more. Where was he?

I whistled quietly and heard someone move. There was a quiet woof and I knew my wolf was still with me. So why wasn't Cato?

"CATO!?" I called out, frantic this time around. It was quiet for a moment before I could hear footsteps coming from outside the cave. I held my breath and quieted down by biting my lip. By my side, my wolf grumbled quietly but it wasn't a real growl.

The footsteps entered the cave but they were quiet, as if he was doing it on purpose. I narrowed my eyes slightly, really trying to focus on his movements. Why didn't he respond to me?

All of a sudden, I heard his movements stop and for some reason, my blood froze. I didn't know where he was. He had been on the other side of the cave, or so I thought. It was scary not knowing where he was.

I just wanted to see again. Hell, I would be happy just seeing the grass outside. I wanted to see the stars in the sky again. I wanted to see trees. I wanted to see the ocean. I wanted to see Peeta's smile.

And dare I say, I wanted to see Cato's blue eyes again.

Suddenly feeling someone right behind me, I spun around and collided with his chest, my sore nose bumping it. I winced slightly and wrinkled at my nose but other than that I just stared at it for a moment, not knowing what to do. But at least he was here, and at least he came back.

I surprised myself as I brought my arms around him in a tight hug. I only rested my forehead on his chest, staring blankly at it. I didn't care if he hugged back, I just needed to know that he was here and that he was real.

Ever since, She came around, I didn't know what was real and what wasn't. It also didn't help that I was blind either. Being blind was one of the scariest feelings ever.

He surprised me when his arms came around me, engulfing me in their warmth. My breathing caught in my throat when he pulled me closer to him. Never in a million years had I expected him to return any affection like this. But he did.

"I thought you said you weren't going to leave..." I said quietly and I felt him stiffen slightly against me. He was silent for a moment before he sighed. It rustled the top of my hair and warmed my scalp.

"When I had to carry you back, I couldn't carry everything... Like our swords!" I deadpanned for a moment and looked up at him.

"You left me alone to go get our... swords?" I grumbled and glared up at him, or at least were I thought his face would be. Reaching up, I felt around for his face ending up accidentally jabbing him in the eye.

He cursed quietly before releasing me and I felt his large hands encircle mine. He placed them either side of his face before his hands dropped to his sides. He chuckled which caused his frame to shake and I tilted his face downwards.

"Yes... I left to get our swords."

"And what would you have done if you came back and I was dead?"

"Well, I probably would have left and been pissed for a while... Then I probably would have gone on to win the Games and gone to live my life like none of this even happened and you would have slipped to the back of my mind as the girl I simple shared a cave with..." He rambled and I narrowed my eyes.

"Shut up!" I told him and he laughed again. "So did you get them?"

"Yeah."

"Good! And you better not leave me alone ever again!" I said and released his face.

"I don't see what the problems is! Well, if you missed me that much..."

"No, it's scary as hell not being able to see and you weren't there to guide me around!" I grumbled and ran a hand through my messy hair.

"Well, I'm here now and that's all that matters, right?"

"Whatever..." I grumbled but his words were still sweet, yet I knew he had that damn smirk on his face.

I went to go turn around but noticed something was different. The darkness that clouded my vision wasn't black anymore. It was a light grey. Blinking, it got lighter and lighter until I could finally see colors. And not just colors, blurry shapes.

"Cato... It's wearing off!" I mumbled and rubbed my eyes.

"What?"

"The medicine! It's wearing off and I can see colors again!" I exclaimed and turned around, almost falling on a rock in the process. He braced my shoulders in his hands and laughed.

"Good! I don't like having to babysit you all the time! Whatever happened to the graceful Twelve that pissed Glimmer off, hmm?" He mused and I rolled my eyes again.

"She left with my eyesight but hopefully she'll be back soon!" I replied and we just stood there in silence. His hands were still on my shoulders and apparently he realized they were still there as well and removed them with an awkward cough.

"Wait! Let me see your eyes!" He said and suddenly I felt hands on my face, turning me towards him. It wouldn't be much longer now. I would be able to see again, soon!

Boy. Was I right.

With one more blink of my eyes, the fog lifted.

"You can see now, can't you?" He said and I looked up into his face.

Everything just came flooding back all at once. It was weird how the medicine wore off this fast. You'd think it would gradually clear up instead of blurry one moment and crystal clear the next.

But, I could see. It took a moment for my eyes to focus entirely but once they did, I was met with twilight blue eyes. They sparkled with mischief and mirth, just like how I remembered them. Also, the cocky smirk was on his face, also the same as I remembered. Nothing had changed in those two days. I was fine with that.

"I can see..." I said quietly and blinked a few times to make sure I wasn't dreaming or anything.

"And what a sight to behold when I get my vision back!" Cato's smirk widened some and he stroked his jaw like he knew he was handsome. Oh, shit. That didn't come out right! I didn't just call Cato _handsome_, did I? My cheeks heated up for a moment at the thought and I hoped Cato wouldn't notice. "Oh, God! What happened to your _face_!"

"Hey, you called me pretty before we got to the cave!"

"It was the drugs talking!" I teased and then playfully slapped his cheek before stepping around him to get away. I needed to hide the blush and I wanted to see everything I could in case the darkness would return.

Looking around the cave, everything was much more vivid and crisp than last I remembered. The colors were bright and it almost hurt to look at the snow white fur on the creature in the corner. Upon hearing the commotion, the wolf raised his head up and snorted as he took in the scene.

"And you!" I pointed at said creature and he flared his nostrils. "You need a name!" His ears perked at the sudden indication and his tail swished back and forth. It had been driving me insane.

"Why does he need a name?"

"Because its been bugging me! He's basically my pet now and he does seem he likes us. Or well, he likes _me_ but-"

"He likes me!" Cato interjected but I only rolled my eyes as I stroked the creature's soft fur.

"Maybe because your name is Cat-o. So you know... Dogs like to eat cats and-"

"My name is pronounced Cato not Cat-o! Big difference!"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, _Kitty-Cat... o_..." I finished the final part of my sentence quietly, but loud enough for me to hear. He grumbled a few curses under his breath before glaring at me, but in a playful way. Not the I'm-gonna-rip-open-your-throat-in-the-next-three-s econds kind of glare.

"Anyway! _Shay-Shay_..." He started and rubbed the back of his neck, only to stop and glance up at me with a smirk on his face. I only narrowed my eyes at him but my lips couldn't help but turn up a little. "What are we going to name him them?"

* * *

**And so, my little readers and reviewers... What will we name him, hmm? I already have a name in mind but I just thought it would be fun if I let you guys submit names!**

**Of course, I will pick the name that I enjoy the most but I also need to have a reason as to why we want to name him that. It can't just be like, "My dog's name is that..."**

**Boring!**

**So, I will choose one from the reviews that I get but I already have a good name picked out, just in case ;) I want at least five reviews to be submitted with different names before I can even post the next chapter, so review away!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and review!**

**P.S. Shade isn't blind anymore! Woo hoo!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Third Person's POV**

"How about Dog?"

"No."

"How about Snowy?"

"No. It's to close to President _Snow_!" She whispered the last part and her eyes darted around. There where cameras everywhere. They weren't safe.

"What about... Fuzzball?"

"No! Cato, we are trying to creative here! But, of course... A man would come up with names like that!" She teased and the blonde haired boy snickered at her but patted her arm with the flat part of his blade. She only grinned at him, not even worrying that he was swinging a sword at her. She simply swatted the blade away with her palm, comfortable enough with any type of blade due to her past as a butcher's daughter.

She had gotten cut on more than one occasion. And she had the scars to prove it.

"Well, I don't hear you coming up with any names! Besides, you're the one who thinks we need to name him anyway! Why can't he just be Dog or the wolf?" Cato complained and the dark blonde haired girl rolled her eyes.

"He's not even a dog!"

"Then come up with a new name!" He growled.

"I'm still thinking about names! And, I think I've found one..." Cato only looked at her in interest and Shade looked to be deep in thought.

"So... Whatcha got?"

"I don't know. I like the name... Glitch." He only raised an eyebrow at her suggestion and she frowned. "You think it's stupid..." She deadpanned and glared at the tall boy before her.

"No! I just think it's interesting... And unique..." He tried but she didn't really buy it.

"It's like he's a glitch in the system! He's not supposed to be here. Compare him to the other wolves. They're more like bears! He's like sleek and built for speed and power. He's an actual wolf. Not a mutt!" She explained and he thought about it. And the more he thought about it, the more it all made sense. But, he still didn't like it.

God, she was right. He hated it when she was right.

"How about we think about it?" The larger boy said, trying to sound like he might like the name even though he didn't like it. The pair lapsed into silence for a while until finally, the girl began to complain.

"When can we leave?" She complained suddenly and sat back on the boulder that she used for a chair. She shifted the jacket around her shoulders and mulled things over a bit. Too bad she didn't realize it wasn't her jacket.

"I don't know. As soon as I think you're ready..." Cato said as he eyed his jacket around the blonde girl's shoulders. He wouldn't say anything for now but it still made him smirk to see her cuddling into his jacket.

"I'm ready to go now!" Shade exclaimed and she was about ready to pack up and leave when she heard Cato yawn loudly. She looked at him intently and for the first time, noticed the dark bags under his blue eyes. She about hit herself for being as stupid as she was. This entire time, Cato had been staying up to guard her while she slept and in return, he hadn't gotten any sleep.

And it made her guilty.

"Fine. Then let's go..." Cato growled before he stood up and gathered his supplies. He shoved everything into his bag before slinging it across his back. He began walking out the entrance to the cave. Shade only sat there for a moment before gathering her own supplies. What was his problem?

"Cato, wait!" The Tribute slowly turned around to look at her.

"What?" She took a deep breath, deciding that this was the best thing for her to do. At least they would have some sort of agreement together instead of this confusing thing that they called an alliance.

"Alright. I'm not going to kill you. You're not going to kill me. I would properly like to ask if you would want to join my alliance..." She extended her hand out towards him, her hazel eyes flashing up to his.

Something flashes in his blue eyes for a moment before he also reached out and grasped onto her hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "Maybe I want you in my alliance..." He grumbled.

"Oh, I'm sure you do but that's to bad because you're already in my alliance!" She squeezed his hand back to make her point. He calmly met her gaze and when she went to pull away, he wouldn't let go of her hand. Instead, he pulled her close so that their chests were almost touching.

"You're not the boss of me, little girl..." Cato warned darkly and he smirked when he saw something a kin to fear flash in her eyes. "It's a mutual alliance..." He warned. He didn't say anything else and eventually released the grip he had on her hand. He watched her as she gathered her bow and quiver, before she strapped her sword into her belt along with her throwing knives.

He exited the cave.

She whistled quietly for her wolf and he slowly rose and followed after her. As soon as she exited the cave, however, she was suddenly pulled back against someone's chest. She waited for a knife to penetrate any part of her body but instead she felt someone's hot breath on her ear.

"Follow along, the audience will love it." Cato whispered lowly so that no one else could hear. She felt a mad blush creep up her neck and onto her cheeks. Cato released her then but not after a quick kiss on the cheek which caused her to blush even more. He smirked and then began walking ahead of her. His actions in the cave and only moments ago were confusing her. He needed to get his emotions under control. "Are you coming?" He called back over his shoulder to the girl who was standing alone with her cheek to her hand. She blinked a few times before smiling weakly before walking up to him.

"Are _you_ ready?" She asked, the spark returning to her eyes.

"Wait, where are we going exactly?" The blue eyed boy asked, suddenly becoming very confused. She only laughed before offering up her hand to him. He looked up into her hazel eyes for a few moments before sighing. He clasped their hands together, intertwining their fingers. A wave of warmth swept through her at the touch but this didn't cause a blush to occur.

"We're going to find Peeta and Katniss." She replied hesitantly and she began to pull him along behind her. She wasn't the least bit surprised when he stopped walking all together. She turned around to look at the blonde haired boy who in return looked like he was ready to start an argument.

"Uh, no we aren't!" He said calmly but she could detect a hint of anger in his voice.

"Oh, come on! What? Are you afraid of them?" She teased but in his eyes, she could see that her words struck home. Maybe he wasn't necessarily afraid. He just didn't want to meet up with them.

"I'm not scared of anyone! It's just we haven't gotten along with each other very well. Considering, they _did_ almost kill me last year!" Cato said as he began to back away. He tried to pull his hand out of hers but she tightened her grip on his fingers.

"They won't hurt you! I promise..." Shade explained as she pulled him back in the direction they were both heading in. Cato only stopped and let her pull on him. This would most likely go on for a while, considering how much more Cato weighed than Shade did.

"Cato... _Please_?" He turned his blue eyes away from his surroundings until they met her own. As he looked into her hazel pools, the green flecks inside them escaped and reached out to him, ready to pull him down to their deepest depths and hold him there. He blinked a few times to clear his head before realizing just how close they were. The grip on his hand remained the same and he sighed before running a hand through his spiky hair.

"Fine." He grumbled and a wide smile lit her face. She began towing him back in the direction they were originally headed. Yup, he was definitely a pussy. Maybe the nickname Kitty Cato would stick in the Capitol.

* * *

Well, they didn't directly go to find the Victor pack. Shade had insisted that they had to return to her old camp and check the snare she had set. For all they knew, she had caught a Tribute or Victor and were hanging from a tree, just waiting for anyone to pass by.

So, they trekked on throughout the day. When they got back to her old camp, it was only around noon from what Cato could guess. Following the slice marks on the trees, Shade was weary of the trap but when they stepped into the clearing, she let out a delighted cheer.

Hanging from the rope was a large deer and it spun slowly as it was suspended form her snare. Cato felt his eyebrows rise in surprise at seeing how efficient the trap had worked.

As Shade approached, she also noticed a large gash on the deer's shoulder. Scarlet liquid slowly dripped from the wound and Shade guessed that the deer had bleed out and died a short time ago, judging on the low bloating of his stomach and the blood was still fresh and not coagulated.

He took her word for it. She was the meat expert after all. But, where had the scratch come from? It almost appeared that someone or _something_ had taken a swipe at the large buck. A person? A mutt? Who knows. All that mattered was that they had a load of meat and they didn't know what to do with it.

Approaching the tie of her snare, Shade undid the knot and let the deer lower to the ground. Cato watched with interest as she approached the deer and took her hunting knife out before she began separating the fur from the hide of the animal.

After she finished with the deer, she had given Cato the honor of finding some sturdy sticks so that she could roast the meat. When he re-entered the clearing with wood and sticks for the fire and meat, he didn't see Shade anywhere.

But then the rope dropped from the tree above, a nose hanging from the end of it. "Alright! It's your turn!"

He looked form the noose up into the tree to see Shade perched from one of the branches.

"You're so funny!" He called back up to her. She beamed down at him playfully before she hauled the rope up and undid the eerie knot. Dropping the rest of the rope from the limb she was sitting on, she quickly climbed down the tree and began to prepare their new meal.

Her wolf sat silently underneath the tree she was perched in. He looked eager for a good meal.

Once all their bellies were full, the two of them packed up the remaining meat into the container that the steak came in before Cato slipped it into his bag. Shade also wound up the rope and put it into her pack before she slung it across her shoulders and they headed off.

* * *

"Alright! It's time to sleep!" Shade said as the both of them stopped walking. Both their limbs burned from the long day and both were beat. Her eyes had grown heavy and then had stopped to eat once so their stomachs weren't entirely empty. She could easily sleep.

"We should keep moving..." Cato warned as he stretched his arms above his head. His shoulder joints popped and his arms flexed pleasantly. Shade only turned to look at him, giving him a look. The you-better-listen-to-me-or-else-there-will-be-cons equences-young-man look.

"You need to rest, Cato." She explained and suddenly rested a hand on his arm. He only looked at her harshly for a moment before his blue eyes softened slightly in the dying sunlight. It didn't go unnoticed by Shade and her own hazel pair softened as she watched his shoulders drop slightly with exhaustion.

"What are we going to do about a fire?" He asked quietly and Shade only shook her head. She could hear the exhaustion in his voice as well and he looked like he could fall asleep any minute.

"We can survive without a fire!"

"And how do you suggest we go by that?"

"I don't know... B-Body heat?" A blush dusted her cheeks which didn't go unnoticed by Cato. He only let his lips turn up momentarily. He didn't mind cuddling.

"Who's supposed to keep watch if we're both asleep?"

"He can. He's like my guardian. He can hear people coming through the underbrush..." She pointed to her wolf who swished his tail back and forth when she talked about him. "He's always been there for me..." Cato watched as her eyes suddenly became distant and his lips turned down in a frown. She was thinking about Peeta again.

Shade hadn't been with the baker's son in almost a week. It wasn't right. She needed her Peeta. She needed that one thing that reminded her of home.

"Well! I'm going to just lay down! Over here..." Shade watched with careful eyes as Cato moved across the small clearing and took his pack off. He pulled her blanket from the bag and spread it out across the ground. With a triumphant groan, he settled onto the thick cloth before curling up into a ball and closing his eyes tightly. He suddenly stretched out and yawned loudly before settling in and taking up most of the blanket.

"And where am I supposed to sleep?" Shade asked as she stood above him. He thought about it for a moment before opening his arms and smirking up at her. She looked at him incredulously before he motioned for her to come forward.

With a few hesitant steps forward, Shade dropped her bag to the ground and sunk down to her knees. She slowly crawled her way onto the blanket before settling next to him. Laying down on her stomach, she tucked her hands under hear head before she sighed through her nose and shut her eyes.

"Oh come on Shade! I'm cold!" Cato complained and she only grumbled quietly and was about to go back to sleep. Rolling over onto her back, she stared up at the darkening sky. The sun was about to go down and she wanted to fall asleep before the day was completely over. She then felt a finger on her stomach.

"Where'd you get this one?" She lifted her head up and saw that Cato was tracing a scar that was a few inches from her belly button. She swatted his hand away, his calloused fingers tickling the sensitive skin.

"I was 8 when it happened. My brothers and I were messing around in the shop. We have these machetes we use to cut the meat in the freezer..." Her eyes became distant again and she sighed through her nose. "Long story short, I lost that battle..." She looked down at the jagged scar, a frown on her lips.

"You think yours is bad?" Cato unzipped his wet suit and pulled back the right side to reveal a white scar. "I was 6 and my brother was teaching me about scythes..." He laughed quietly to himself. "The lesson didn't go so well!" Shade blushed slightly upon seeing a side of his toned chest and she brought her hands up to her cheeks to subtly hide the blush taking up residence there.

"Just look at my arms!" She pulled up the sleeves of the jacket, which she now realized was Cato's, and showed him the small white scars that littered both her arms and hands. There was an abundance of them on her fingers and on the ridge of her thumb.

It was from her job. A day never really went by were Shade didn't cut herself in the shop.

"And speaking of scars..." He then turned back to his bag and pulled out the clean bandages that he would use on her shoulder. Reaching down into her boot, he pulled the knife free from its sheath. Shade stilled and waited with baited breath as he reached down and pulled the knife free. He slipped the sharp blade underneath the bandages and with one precise flick, they were cut. Now that the bandages were gone, Shade finally had an opportunity to gaze at the wound that almost killed her.

The wound certainly looked better and she was amazed at how much the medicine had done. The dark, leathery look to her skin was gone completely. Instead, patches of fresh, pink skin has begun to form and from what Shade had guessed, the medicine must have been some sort of steroid or something like that.

"It looks so much better!" She breathed in amazement, looking up at Cato with wide eyes. A smile pulled at his lips as he saw the awestruck look on her face. "Haymitch, you aren't so hopeless after all!" She beamed up at the sky.

Before she knew what was happening, Cato had begun to re-bandage her arm with fresh gauze so she just sat quietly and left Cato to his work.

"Hey, how's your leg?" She asked after a few minutes of silence. She glanced down at the burnt hole in his pants to see that he also had gauze wrapped around his leg.

"Better. No thanks to you!" He smirked slightly before ripping the gauze off and securing it around her shoulder. "That purple stuff really helped. Where did you get it?" Shade froze for a moment, wondering if she should tell him the truth.

"Just some sponsors..." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly in hopes that Cato would buy her act. Luckily, he did.

"Well!" He yawned and stretched his arms above his head again. Lying back on the blanket, he closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm going to sleep." Placing his hands behind his head, he sighed through his nose and adjusted his sleeping position again. "Night."

"Night." Shade lay down beside him, her own eyes still facing up towards the sky. Letting her eyes slide closed, she hugged Cato's jacket around herself, wondering why he hadn't asked if he could have it back yet. However, just as she was about to drift off to sleep, she felt an arm come around her shoulders.

Her shoulder pressed against his wide chest and Cato smiled as he rested his cheek on the soft blanket. His blue eyes were fixed on the girl before him, part of it for the Games and part of it for a whole different reason. He needed sponsors.

She didn't say anything but she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before closing her eyes again.

"Something's wrong." He said quietly and he felt her release a deep breath before opening her eyes again.

"Nothing's wrong... I just..." She didn't now what to say as she laid there next to him. Peeta was the only boy who had ever gotten close to her and that was only on friendship terms. Well, that was how Peeta saw it anyway. For Shade it was something entirely different.

She shifted slightly under his arm. Cato's grip tightened slightly and she looked over at him. He looked down into her hazel eyes for a moment and he saw the worried look in her eyes. It was only there for a moment before it vanished and was replaced with exhaustion.

"Nothing... I'm just tired..." She said quietly, pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind. She rolled over onto her other side, facing away from the Tribute. She let her eyes close once more. Cato's turned down briefly before he looked up at the stars for the first time in a long time.

After about an hour, Cato still couldn't sleep. He listened as Shade's breathing became deeper, signaling that she was asleep and he had to go by that, considering that he couldn't see her face. Carefully sitting up, he looked over her shoulder at her peaceful features.

Her soft hair had fallen into her eyes and Cato looked down at her before gently pushing her bangs back. Her nose twitched as the hair tickled her nose and Shade grumbled under her breath.

Cato held his breath as she suddenly rolled back towards him and pressed into his side. She brought her hands up to her chest in almost a fetal position and curled up next to him. He hesitantly moved his arm around her to keep her warm.

Cato, the Career from District 2 was cuddling. It was unheard of. Well, it _was_ unheard of. Guess it wasn't now.

The boy rested his cheek on the top of her head before pulling her closer and finally relaxing entirely and he drifted off into a surprisingly peaceful and dreamless sleep with the blonde girl in his arms.

* * *

**Alright. Four people reviewed when I asked for five. Now, that's pretty good except I find it a little ridiculous that 250 people viewed the last chapter and I only got four reviews. I'd like to thank those who did review.**

**LexiStorm99, Guest, Kurskin, and kingdom hearts. Thank you guys so much and I love when you guys respond to what I write. It makes me feel so good inside and it helps me write. You guys are what keeps me writing. You are the spark to my flame and I love you guys.**

**Now, the rest of you people.**

**I am the writer of this story. I know some of you are reading this, some of you aren't. This is only a taste and barely a filler chapter, considering it's so short. I just needed to update for the four people who reviewed.**

**Those who are still reading this ridiculous author's note, I could kill Shade off just like that. Cato could just snap and rip her face off and that could be the end of that. But, who really wants that?**

**Apparently the people who don't review do.**

**I still haven't entirely decided on a name yet but my friend came up with Glitch? What do you guys think about it?**

**But, I will warn you now. I hate doing this but I must. If I don't get a couple of reviews, I will pull this story to a stop and kill Shade even though she is basically me. Review or else.**

**I hate blackmailing people.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Shade's POV**

_I could hear the rapid thumping of my heart in my ears. The sound of my labored breathing was lost as I dashed through the trees. Glancing back over my shoulder, I wanted to make sure the coast was clear._

_Not watching where I was going, I stumbled a bit as my feet got caught up on a tree root. I dropped to my knees momentarily before using a tree as a support and I quickly rose once again._

_My hazel eyes darted around, watching for what was chasing me. I held my breath for a moment, trying to listen for my approaching attacker._

_Everything was silent, there was not another sound in the arena. Suddenly, his loud laughter broke out only a couple feet to my right and my head snapped in that direction._

_I forced my legs forward once more, for fear of him catching me. My left leg throbbed but the adrenaline dulled the pain some. He had cut me when I first attempted to get away. Too bad it hadn't slowed me down like he planned._

_Wincing slightly, I grasped onto my wounded limb and limped away. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself to go faster. I was going to die. _

_"Oh, Shade! You think you can outrun me?" His voice sounded different from before. There was a higher pitch to it, almost like he was trying to lull me into a false sense of security. I had gotten so used to his voice that I could tell the definite difference in his tones._

_I could hear his heavy footsteps behind me and then I was tackled from behind. I yelped as we tumbled to the ground. I rolled away from him and tried to find my footing but I only ended up spraying dirt in my futile attempts._

_He didn't have my luck and was able to stand above me. I rolled over on my back, hazel eyes wide. I didn't have any weapons. He had taken them away from me at some point. I was so stupid. To ever trust a Career._

_His face was covered in shadows but I could still make out the disturbing look in his eyes. It was inhuman. Peering down at me, his lips pulled back into a pleased smile, one that my face did not reflect._

_"C-Cato... Please!" I said quietly and he skillfully twirled his long sword in his hand. He laughed quietly before raising his blue eyes up to me._

_"Sorry, Shade!"_

_"Please, don't..." I whispered, my voice pleading once again._

_"You know, I never really thought you would be one to beg for your life!" He ran a hand through his spiky hair, only prolonging my death further._

_"Well, if you're going to kill me-"_

_"I really am going to!" He interrupted and I hardened my features into a scowl. He only snorted at me again before bending down to my level, our faces just inches apart._

_"It really is a shame to have a scowl on that pretty little face of yours..." He teased and my hazel eyes flashed in anger. How dare he call my face pretty at a time like this?_

_My breathing hitched in my throat as he tucked a loose strand of dark golden hair behind my ear with his large fingers. Without warning, he captured my lips with his own, cutting off my venomous snarl that would have been directed towards the Career. He whined into the kiss for a moment, while my mind reeled. And then he pulled back, almost hesitantly and he grinned before standing up to his full height._

_"Damn, I'm going to miss that!" He grumbled and his lips turned into a devious smirk. I bit my lip, trying to keep the tears from falling down my cheeks. This whole time he had been using me._

_"Why'd you do it? Why'd you stick with me in the arena?"_

_"I thought it would be fun! Plus, you're such a little vixen so I couldn't pass up the offer!" His voice was low, almost as if he were seriously enjoying this. He rubbed this thumb along his lower lips before his eyes flashed up to mine._

_"You asshole!" I murmured but he still heard me._

_"I only did it to survive!" He protested. He had some blood running down the side of his face from where I had gotten him with my knife. "Brutus and I had this all worked out! Meet up with the Girl from 12. She's a threat. Get her to trust you, then kill her when she's least expecting it!"_

_"So Brutus told you to fall in love with me?" I snapped and Cato flinched as if I had stabbed him. I waited for his answer, my hazel eyes narrowed threateningly._

_"Yes."_

_"And did you?"_

_He hesitated a moment to long before answering. "No..." He sneered. Knowing his full intentions, I smirked. At least I could die knowing the truth. _

_"Make it quick." I growled and my eyes locked onto Cato's tall form._

_"I plan to!" He replied before raising the long sword above his head. Hazel clashed against blue and my heart panged. I loved him. And yet, here we were. He would be the one leading me to my death._

_There was a flash of light and the sword came down. I didn't even have time to comprehend his movement before I bit my lip. __The last four words got stuck in my throat and I couldn't force them out. "But, I love you..."_

_But then, I heard that dreaded song. _

_Are you, are you_

_Coming to the tree?_

_Where the dead man called out for his love to flee?_

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it be,_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree... _

_And then there was pain. _

* * *

I jolted awake and my eyes shot open. I gasped for breath multiple times before I was able to breath once more. The pain in my chest was unbearable, as if I had actually been stabbed with his long sword.

Cato.

My eyes flickered to his face and I was shocked to find his eyes open as well. I must have woken him up when I jumped and now he was staring at me with sleep riddled blue eyes.

_"Make it quick!"_

_"I plan to!"_ Echoed through my head and I flinched once more. Realizing how close we were I could feel my cheeks redden. We were in a very intimate position. I had fallen asleep with my head on his chest and his large arms were wrapped rather possessively around me.

Looking back up to his face, it was once again shadowed by the moonlight and I jumped once more. I suddenly grew panicked and shoved off his chest. He looked extremely confused but I rolled away from him, startling the wolf awake. The white creature growled and rose to his feet, looking suspiciously between the two of us.

I climbed to my feet, spraying up leaves and grass in the process. Cato sat up, looking extremely confused at me with sleep filled blue eyes. He rubbed them for a moment, trying to focus on the sudden commotion.

"Shade, what's wrong?" He asked, his voice rough from the sleep. Sitting up, he noticed the startled look in my eyes and reached for me. I flinched away from his hands and took a few more steps back. He looked confused once more before I swore that I saw hurt flash through his eyes.

"Don't! Just..." I held up my hands in front of me to keep him away. He finally got up to his feet and my breathing hitched. I never realized how big he was compared to me. He could easily overpower me if he really wanted to. I had made a mistake. I should have just left him as soon as I could see.

Without warning, I drew a throwing knife from my belt and held it in my fingers as a silent warning for him to not move any closer.

"Woah, easy Shay!" He held up his hands in defeat and I swallowed nervously.

_He'll come after you._

I flinched when I heard her voice and I looked around. I watched as She stepped out from behind a tree near Cato. I scowled at Her, my stomach churning with uncertainty. My brows pulled together in a frown and I could feel a growl rise up in my throat.

"Stay away from me!" I told her and Cato looked around in confusion. His blue eyes scanned the surroundings and I realized that he couldn't see Her. I mean, I don't think he saw Her. She took another threatening step forward and the grip on my knife tightened.

"Why are you so protective of him?" She tilted her head to the side playfully, Her perfect golden hair tumbling down her side. "He's going to kill you..." She took another step forward and motioned for someone else to step forward. Another Cato appeared from behind the tree and She beamed evilly and stretched Her hand out to him. He looked at Her with such desire and clasped their hands together. But, this wasn't Cato. This Cato was dark and even more inhuman than the real Cato was.

He was a real monster.

She looked at me with my own hazel eyes that were shadowed before she draped her arms around his neck like I had seen Glimmer do to the real Cato. Smirking at me, She grinned lustfully at Cato before She roughly kissed him. He responded just as forcefully and grabbed at her thigh, trying to pull her closer to him. She knotted Her hands into his spiky hair and tugged lightly, causing a growl to rip through Cato's throat. A lustful smile.

However, it stopped just as abruptly as it started and She looked at me while feeling Cato's bicep. The blonde boy seemed to notice me and raised her darkened eyes before smirking at me.

"Hey, Shade!" He replied just as lustfully but his voice was huskier and I grimaced. This was not the Cato I knew. The Cato I knew at least had some decency to it. This Cato looked like he was undressing me with his eyes.

"You're not real..." I reassured myself and shut my eyes momentarily. I messaged my temple and tried to focus on my breathing which had gotten shaky. I glanced up at the real Cato, who was looking at me very confused once more. He looked behind him, trying to find what was causing me such distress.

"Do you have things under control, babe?" She suddenly asked Cato who nodded and pulled a sword from his belt. It glinted just like a real sword and I swallowed nervously. He took a few steps towards the real Cato and I took a step forward myself.

"Don't touch him!" I growled possessively, pulling my own sword from my belt. This stopped the other Cato short and he smirked in delight. "Cato, get behind me!" I warned the real one.

He looked at me like I was crazy and I took a few hesitant steps forward. Bending down, I picked up our packs and the blanket, shoving it into my pack. I kept my eyes on the fake couple the entire time.

"Oh, Shade! Don't be like that!" The other Cato warned and my eyes widened as he began walking towards me.

"CATO, RUN!" I screamed before turning on my heel, grabbing onto Cato's hand and running. For the second time that night, I had run from Cato. I never thought I would be running from myself though.

The larger boy dragged behind slightly, very confused about what was happening but he nonetheless ran. I gripped my sword tightly and I checked over my shoulder to see my wolf sprinting after us. I could also see Cato and Shade chasing after us and my heart sped up. I could faintly hear them getting closer and I didn't notice that the scenery had changed quickly around us. Cato also slowed slightly by my side and I frowned. We needed to keep going.

A shriek escaped my throat as the ground fell away beneath me. I tumbled down the steep slope for what felt like hours before I landed hard on the the jungle floor. I lay there for a moment, trying to block out the throbbing pain and the rush of adrenaline.

Sitting up, I lazily looked around. I was dizzy from all the tumbling but I couldn't find Cato anywhere. Did he even fall? Was he back at the top of the ravine?

Listening quietly, I couldn't hear any signs of life at the moment but that changed.

Other Shade suddenly appeared out from behind a tree again and I bit my lip in frustration. She hadn't seen me yet but I regained my balance and began to trot off at a fast pace. I could faintly hear her footsteps behind me and glancing around, I found the roots of a tall, old tree. Ducking underneath them, I brought my knees up to my chest.

My hand still gripped the sword and I was shaking slightly.

"_Where are you_?" She sang and I watched as her feet walked up to the roots and stopped. "Are you coming to the hanging tree, little Shade?" She taunted and I held my breath, hoping that She wouldn't look here. Praying She wouldn't look here. It was tense for a moment and She was also silent as She looked around the clearing.

A breathed a sigh of relief when her boots moved on and out of my sight. I relaxed slightly, letting my body go slack against the wood behind me. Slowly sliding out from underneath the tree, I made as little noise as possible and looked around. I couldn't see Her anywhere, let alone hear her.

"Found you." She whispered in my ear. Spinning around, I swiped through the air with my sword. She laughed evilly before stepping back and dodging the sharp blade. I tried to regulate my breathing and I focused.

I needed to get away from her.

"Go die!" I hissed at her before swinging again. She easily dodged.

"I don't plan, to!" She retorted and I knew that we were evenly matched. Somehow.

Taking off at a dead sprint, I sprayed up the jungle foliage that had been beneath my feet. She was right on my tail but I surged forward, determined to outrun her. Nearing a corner, I my feet slide slightly on the green leaves but I was able to regain my footing and take off once more.

I glanced back, wanting to know if she was still coming but I wasn't paying attention. I slammed into what felt like a brick wall and it knocked all the air from my lungs so I sat struggling for my breath like a fish out of water. I bounced back off the wall and looked up, fear in my eyes.

I never thought I would be so happy to see someone in my whole life.

"Finnick..." I said quietly as I stepped forward and just hugged him tightly. I rested my head on his chest and felt as his arms wrapped themselves around me as well. I buried my head into his warm chest and whimpered slightly.

"Well, I'm glad to see you missed me!" He murmured down into my hair and rubbed my back slightly. I smiled slightly but shook my head.

"Shut up..." I warned him and rubbed the unknown tears that had fallen down my cheeks. Hearing rustling in the bushes close to us, I tensed, as did Finnick. He picked up a trident that he had rested against a tree before pushing me back behind him. I held my breath, just waiting for Her to jump out.

Relief washed through me when Glitch stumbled into the clearing, tripping over a tangled bush in the process. He had his nose to the ground, following my scent trail. Upon finding us, he raised his head and seemed to smile at me when I came into sight. Finnick, however, received a threatening growl.

"Grrr!" Finnick growled right back at the animal. "_Bad Wolf_! Don't growl at me you fuzzy mutt!" Finnick scolded and I snorted. He just sounded ridiculous. He really just growled at the wolf. Well, this is new.

I couldn't help but snort at his humor and stepped forward towards the wolf. I patted his head affectionately and the wolf relaxed but carefully watched the District 4 Victor.

"What had you so riled up? You really slammed into me..." Finnick said as he rubbed his chest, feigning hurt.

"Nothing. I thought I saw another Tribute..." My hazel eyes looked around the clearing, making sure the coast was clear. It was like I could still feel her eyes on me. Still feel her breathing down my neck.

"Well, I don't see any now so you're safe!"

"I never thought I wasn't..." I replied dryly and wondered where Cato had gotten to. Was he okay? Did the other Shade get him? She wasn't real, so she couldn't touch him. Right?

"Shay, is there something wrong? You seem a little... distracted." Finnick said and his sea green eyes locked with my hazel ones. A genuine look of worry crossed his irises and I looked to the ground, feeling guilty for not telling him about Cato. Or my evil doppelganger.

"No, I'm fine..."

"Well, are you hungry? Because, I'm sure Katniss has the meat cooking so-"

"You're with Katniss and Peeta?" My eyes lit up at the mention of the Victor from my District. She was alive and kicking?

"Yeah, Katniss is back at the camp. Peeta and I went out to look for water with Jo. He shouldn't be far..." Oh. My. God. Peeta. Peeta. PEETA. I would finally be able to see my best friend.

"Finnick! Take me to your camp!" I told him with a new firmness in my voice. The Victor only looked at me for a moment before the corner of his mouth pulled up in a boyish grin. Taking my smaller hand in his, he began to tow me along with Glitch behind us.

We trekked on for a couple minutes, weaving in and out of the jungle trees. I tripped a few times but Finnick kept me upright and hastily pulled me along, as if he was happy that he had finally found me.

I could hear the sound of waves growing closer and I knew that we were getting closer to the ocean. We stopped at the very edge of the treeline and Finnick stopped us short. He turned back to me, his sea green eyes intense.

"Okay, we have a few other people in our group. You remember Johanna and Beetee, right?" He asked and I froze. Oh, shit. Johanna. I would be sharing a camp with Johanna. And, I had killed her District partner. Whoops.

"Yeah-Yeah, I remember Johanna!" I replied innocently and scratched the back of my head. And I'm sure she would be happy to know me.

"Don't worry about the whole Blight thing! She doesn't even know... I think..."

"You think?"

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't know..."

"That's reassuring Finnick..." I grumbled before rubbing a hand over my face. I would have to take chances if I wanted to see my friends again. "Alright, let's go!" I stepped out of the trees and we stuck to the shade as we approached the small camp. I could see Katniss cooking something over the fire and glanced up when we got closer.

"Finn, did you get some water?" She asked, not really noticing that the both of us were approaching. I noticed another older man sprawled out on the sand, clutching something desperately in his hands.

Finnick didn't answer and she looked up to see what his problem was. She looked confused for a moment before a smile lit her face. Without speaking a word, the dark haired girl jogged towards me, her arms outstretched. I walked towards her myself and we met in the middle and hugged each other tightly.

Now that I thought back on it, I guess you could say that Katniss was the closest thing that I had to a sister, considering I had grown up with a bunch of stupid boys.

"Shade, you're alive! Peeta's been so worried and we were wondering when you'd come to our side of the island!" She smiled at me but it wasn't that big. I wondered if she was having a hard time in the arena. Some people did. Some people didn't.

I was one of the people who were having issues.

"Speaking of him! Where is Pete?" Finnick asked and looked around the small camp in the shade. My feet sunk into the sand underneath me and I grimaced a little as I got some in my boots. I had never dealt with sand before but I already found it to be very irritating.

"He should be back anytime now! Johanna's with him so he'll be alright..." I shifted anxiously, wanting to see my friend at this very moment. I felt like a little kid waiting for candy in a candy shop.

"Oh, here he comes!" Finnick stated and turned around to see the three approaching figures. I squinted but their forms were still covered by the shade from the trees.

"Three people? I thought you said Johanna was with him?"

"I did say that..." Finnick raised an eyebrow and my stomach grew uneasy. Who was this new person?

Besides, where the hell was Cato? He should have found me by now and I was starting to worry for the blonde haired boy.

The worry turned to anxiousness as they grew closer. Peeta stepped out into the sun, his golden hair ruffled slightly to the side. His blue eyes twinkled in their own special way and in his hands, he carried a woven basket with liquid inside.

Johanna was walking alongside him, looking less than pleased. Her lips turned down in a scowl and in her hand, she carried a heavy ax and I swallowed. Okay, maybe two people really scared me in the arena. Clove and Johanna.

She kept her eyes trained on the third person to her left. I wondered why she was scowling so much when I noticed just who the third person was. But I didn't care. However, I ignored them momentarily as Peeta looked up from his discussion with Johanna, his blue eyes almost instinctively falling on me.

Shock filled his eyes before his lips slowly turned up into his signature smile. His eyes lit up and I smiled widely myself before rushing towards him. He handed the basket of watery liquid off to Johanna before he began running towards me.

We met in the center and he bent down, wrapping his hands around my waist before lifting me up. My feet sprayed sand in all directions and I smiled in contentment before laughing loudly. I didn't pay attention to the tears that fell down my cheeks and I hugged Peeta back tightly.

He set me back down on my feet but he kept his hands on my hips. I rose my own hands up to his face, gently running my thumb across his cheek.

"Peeta..." I whispered out, his voice catching in my throat.

"Shay-Shay..." He teased back before pulling me into another tight embrace.

"I missed you so much!"

"I missed you more!" He said back just as quietly and I felt my heart swell with warmth. I had my Peeta back. I was home.

"_Cato!_?" I heard Katniss growl from behind me and I let go of Peeta so that I could turn towards the mentioned boy. I stepped back slightly from Peeta and looked at the third person of their party. I simply looked back at him, my eyes darting between Cato and Katniss.

"Shade..." He said quietly and took a couple steps forward. He stopped, however, as the blunt end of an ax was slammed against his chest in warning.

"Easy, Career boy!" Johanna warned, her eyes flashing darkly as she glanced between the two of us. Cato sent me a desperate look, asking for help. I stepped forward to rescue the larger blonde boy but then the ax was swung at me.

I yelped in surprise and jumped back, drawing my long sword in the process. I held it before me, protecting myself if the need would arise. Alright, Johanna. _I'm not scared of her. Okay, maybe a little._ Dark brown, near black eyes clashed with hazel and I felt a threatening growl rise up in my throat. I could be just as scary as I wanted.

"Easy, ladies! We're all on the same side here!" Both of us glanced at Finnick as he stepped forward to calm the both of us. He stepped between the two bristling females. He placed a hand on my shoulder and my hazel eyes bore into his own before I sighed in defeat and dropped my blade to my side. Finnick turned back to Johanna, asking her silently to drop her ax as well.

She didn't and I sent her another dark look, telling her to release Cato.

"Jo...!" Finnick warned, more forcefully this time. She sent a venomous glare at Finnick before dropping her ax with an annoyed huff.

"None of us would even be here if it wasn't for her..." She used to ax to motion in my direction and I only blinked in response. I watched as she stalked off to the other side of the camp before sitting down, facing the ocean and ignoring the rest of us. "If I get killed in my sleep, I'm going to be pissed!" She yelled back down the beach at us.

"What's he even doing here?" Katniss asked once more, eyes narrowing dangerously at the tribute. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she stood in a defensive position. I stepped up beside him defensively, ready to push him out of the way of an arrow if I had to.

"We have an alliance." I replied with confidence, stepping forward and linking my arms with Cato's.

"So what you said is true?" Peeta pipped up, looking at us with worry as well. His blue eyes darted from me to Cato and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"Yes. Why would I lie about being Shade's partner?" He asked and instead, let go of my arm and placed it on the side of my waist, pulling me towards him. My cheeks flushed and my eyes fell to the sand.

"Cause you're a Career! And Careers will do anything to win!" Katniss growled back, answering his question with such harsh words. Cato tensed beside me and I latched onto his other side and gently squeezed it for reassurance.

"Cato is different..."

"How?" Finnick asked and raised an eyebrow, seeming to be the most relaxed of the three people who were still discussing our situation.

"Shade's right. He didn't attack us when we found him in the jungle..." Peeta interjected and I relaxed slightly. Maybe he would be on my side. He was my best friend after all.

"But... He's still-"

"Katniss." I said, cutting her off. Her dark eyes looked directly at me. "He saved my life."

* * *

**Well, this is one of my longer chapters. Once again, I am sorry I had to threaten to end the story. It wasn't right and I apologize. Now, I realize I probably lost a few readers and I'm a review hoarder.**

**I should have my own TV show. Ha.**

**I also had a Doctor Who moment in this chapter. Did you happen to catch the ****_Bad Wolf_****? ;)**

**Anyway, I'd like to thank all the people who did review. You guys light up my life like nobody else. Sorry, had a bit of a One Direction moment there. Ha, again.**

**Thank you, KyraNoelle, Toadetterocks15, Aryanna, Brittaine, LexiStorm99, Guest, Emily Green, and Guest.**

**To LexiStorm99, in all honesty, I truly loved your name. It was so creative and imaginative and I was seriously thinking about using it but then I got to thinking. Since the Hunger Games takes place in the future, Latin would pretty much be a dead language. So, neither of our tributes would be able to think of the name because they dont' speak or read Latin.**

**See my reasoning?**

**Anyway, I love you guys and I got eight reviews! Eight, holy crap! Plus, I got more reviews on other chapters which brightened up my day even more!**

**Keep reading and reviewing!**

**P.S. The dopple ganger scene was kinda freaky, I know. But, it was necessary. Also, I hope you like the Katniss/Cato tension in there because it will reoccur in almost every chapter until they escape, so get used to it. Review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Third Person's POV**

Cato watched from a distance as she sat in the sand down by the water's edge. Shade had remained there for most of the day, only moving to get a drink of the warm water that had been extracted from the tropical trees.

Sweat dripped down her brow and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. It felt good to just sit out in the warm sun with her shoulders bare. Her arm was still wrapped tightly in gauze but she didn't care.

The sun was warming her skin and she was content to sit still and just watch the waves lap at her feet.

Her skin prickled in the back of her head and she knew that multiple pairs of eyes were on her. The rest of them sat around the fire, content to stretch out take a nap in the sun after lunch.

They were now the group of Careers. The deck was stacked for them. Katniss was long distance with her bow and arrows, Peeta was incredibly strong, Beetee was extremely smart, Johanna was ruthless, Finnick was just all around valuable and the humor of the group, Cato was skilled in close combat, and Shade was the only person left.

She could easily be described with any of these traits but her speed was her strong point.

Cato rubbed his hands together in thought. She still remained motionless as she gazed out at the waves. His gaze was drawn from her as the shorter blonde boy rose from his place where he had been napping by Katniss. He rubbed the sleep from his blue eyes before settling himself next to Shay in the sand.

She had taken his jacket off and returned it to him. She hadn't been angry or agitated like he thought she would have been. Instead, she quietly placed it at his feet before sitting in her current place.

Peeta definitely realized a change in Shade. It was very easy to see, as if she had changed the color of her hair or the darkness to her skin tone. It was like finding a black bear in a snow storm. It stuck out like a sore thumb.

She seemed to be quiet and more drawn in. More than usual anyway. She was different. At first, Shade had been extremely happy to see him and then Katniss's worry lowered the mood, along with Shade's hype.

It also didn't help that Johanna had attacked Cato. Sure, Peeta was unsure about him at first but he seemed to be relatively civil and his temper seemed to be more in check. That wild look was no longer in his eyes and when he would look at Shade, there was an air of softness in them. Peeta didn't like it.

"So... You and him, huh?" Peeta spoke quietly as his side was pressed against Shade's, telling her that he was there for her. She ran her fingers through the sand just in front of her feet and her hazel eyes watched them.

"Yeah." They were both quiet for a moment once more, just content to sit with each other. Peeta sighed quietly and ran a hand through his hair. This was not the Shay that he had once known.

Her cheek bones stood out a little more slightly due to food shortages. She was thinner but her form was still strong and she still had an incredible grace about her. Her hair was messy but that was what someone would suspect in the Hunger Games. There was no time for looks. People were just trying to survive.

Her eyes are what had changed the most. They were still sharp and filled with the liquid hazel color he knew all so well. But, there was change in there. She seemed almost tired, like she was getting sick of being in the Games for so long. She was being worn thin and Peeta knew that she just wanted to go home. To get back to her little family.

It was like she was weary of continuing on. Like she was ready to be done with it. She was tired of all the killing of the innocent lives. She wasn't the bubbly 17 year old he had know. No, she was much older now. She was a woman who was burdened with the deaths of the people she had slaughtered.

Sure, the strong and determined spark was still there but it seemed to be for something else, something new.

"He's different you know..." Peeta looked up from the sand where he had been staring. He had been watching her rhythmic movements of her hands and he blinked a couple times. "He's not a ruthless monster anymore. He actually has some compassion now."

"Really?" Peeta asked in a playful tone. He got his desired result when Shay's lips curled upward slightly and she smacked him on the arm. She only nodded briskly, her bun bobbing on top of her head. She leaned over slightly until her head rested on his shoulder and sighed.

"He saved me. Actually, it's been a couple times now..." Peeta only glanced at her with a questioning look before she rolled her eyes.

"My shoulder got burned in a forest fire and it got infected..." She pointed at the bandage on her arm. "It was really bad and painful. But, Cato found me and healed up my shoulder. Well, actually Haymitch healed up my shoulder but-"

"And he was kind to you?"

"Yes."

"And you don't mind that he killed all those people in the Games from last year?"

"Peeta, I've killed people, too. We aren't so different after all..." Peeta only looked at her once again. He wasn't sure about the whole plural part of that sentence. He had seen her kill Blight but that was because he attacked her and she had only responded to his actions. But who where the others? "It was Cashmere if you were wondering. Stupid bitch told me that she killed you and Finnick..." They lapsed into silence once more before Peeta decided to bring up a touchy point.

"Finnick's been moody lately."

"So?"

"Well, aren't you and he...?" Shade turned and looked at Peete before she laughed and it was a wonderful sound. He wondered if she had done it recently but it was foreign to his ears, seeing how they had been apart from each other for so long. He missed it. He missed her.

"Finnick is just... needy. He always wants someone's attention!"

"So he chose you?" She only shrugged her shoulders and then she picked up on the implied words before twiddling her thumbs. Peeta noticed the blush rise to her cheeks and he smirked slightly.

His best friend didn't answer so he decided to leave her with her thoughts. She looked up at him and he smiled. He was about to walk away when Shay reached out and grasped the leg of his pants.

"Katniss is mad at me, right?"

"I wouldn't say mad. She-She doesn't agree with your choice..." His blue eyes flashed to Cato momentarily, causing Shade's own pair to follow. They exchanged a look before Shade smiled and shook her head. Peeta left her there alone and walked off towards the treeline where Katniss was draining more water from one of the tropical tree.

Shade lapsed back into silence and just relaxed once more. Her hair tossed about gently in the breeze and she undid the tie and let if be free. Leaning back on her hands, she stretched out her long legs that had once been tucked beneath her. She wriggled her toes that were now free.

She had discarded her boots along time ago because she didn't like the sand filling them. She had angrily tossed them away and growled before kicking them again. That was the only time she had lost her temper and that was only over sand. Cato had found it quite comical as he watched her throw her tantrum.

He himself had removed his boots awhile ago for the same reason. Only, he didn't throw a fit.

"You've been taking care of her?" Finnick asked quietly, drawing the Career from his thoughts. The District 4 Victor had been the most civil of them all in welcoming Cato into their group. Except, he wasn't really welcomed, he was just staying for a short while.

Cato's eyes looked to Finnick for a moment before both of their eyes turned to Shay. Her dark golden hair was illuminated in the sun, appearing like a halo around her head.

"Yeah." Cato replied quietly, his lip curling up slightly in one corner.

"Well, you seem to be doing a pretty good job so far!" Finnick clapped him on the shoulder and laughed.

"Back at the Academy, we were taught to take care of the Career pack. To take care of our own kind..." He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "With Shay, everything is just so easy. She practically takes care of herself. But, I try!" He smiled slightly and watched Shay close her eyes and lay back on the sand.

Her screaming face suddenly came into his mind. He flinched and his smile fell into a frown. He had to ask. The question was nagging at the back of his mind.

"Annie Cresta is your friend, right?" Cato asked quietly, making sure his voice was low so that Shay couldn't hear them. Finnick sent him a questioning look before nodding slowly.

"There was this one time when Shay... lost it..."

"Lost it?"

"Yeah, she was just screaming and threatening empty air as if someone was there. At first I thought she was seeing things but now, I'm not so sure anymore..." Cato said quietly and he messed with his hands out of nerves. Something very _unlike_ a Career. Finnick noticed this.

"So you think she's not all there?"

"I never said that!" Cato snapped, anger flashing in his eyes. He sat up and Finnick raised his eyebrows but didn't panic at all. He had dealt with hot headed Careers before, considering he was a mentor from District 4, a Career District. "I just think that something happened to upset her..."

"Have you asked her about it?" Finnick said quietly and Cato's eyes flashed to him. Cato only shook his head and Finnick sighed, running a hand through his bronze hair. "You can't just assume that she's crazy! It helps if you ask her what's wrong, you idiot!" Finnick playfully smacked the tributes head, earning him a small growl of disapproval.

Yet, Cato's face was still set in a frown.

"Do you want me to go talk to her, I'm sure she'll open right up to old Finny!" Finnick made to stand but a hand clamped around his shoulder and forced him back down. The pool scene had flashed back in Cato's head and he didn't want _that_ happening again.

"No! You'll just-just stay here and I'll be back!" Cato growled out and he hastily rose from the ground. He dusted the sand off his clothes and straightened out his ruffled pants. He took a deep breath and for a moment, he was unsure how to go about this.

He couldn't just flat out ask her if she was crazy.

He began making his way over to her, taking slow and careful footsteps through the sand. Finally, he seated himself on her left side, opposite from where Peeta had been. Shade tensed momentarily as Cato same to sit beside her.

When he sat down, she re-tucked her feet back underneath her, hiding away her long and flawless legs. She sent him a questioning look before he swallowed nervously and looked out at the waves beating on the shore.

"Hey." He said quietly, letting the corners of her mouth turn up slightly. She only looked over his face with her hazel eyes, wondering what his motive was for coming to sit by her. Finally, her own lips twitched up slightly.

"Hey." She replied just as quietly and they sat in silence for a couple minutes. "I'm sorry about Johanna earlier. I didn't know that she would-"

"Nah, its alright. I can take her. She just caught me off guard!" Cato teased and Shade shook her head. And there was the ego that he was known for. "You had a nightmare last night." He said suddenly and her hazel eyes widened slightly.

She didn't deny that she had had a nightmare and Cato's suspicions were finally shown to be true. She had just woken in a sleep riddled state. Everything would be fine now.

"Do you see people sometimes? People who aren't... _real_?" Cato was caught off guard by her question. Of course, he had thought he would be the one to initiate that conversation but a load had been lifted off his shoulders with her asking it.

Cato turned his blue eyes to her, a new softness in them. He slowly shook his head and saw her face fall. She licked her lips and he watched as a tear fell down her cheek. Fear entered her hazel eyes and she swallowed thickly.

Reaching a hand out, he found her's and hr grasped it tightly. He was telling her that she was going to be okay. She only continued to stare out at the open water as she mulled her thoughts over.

Just once, Cato would like to get into her head to see what she was thinking. To know what she knew. To see what she saw.

"I'm not crazy..." She whispered quietly, biting her lip to keep back the rest of the tears that threatened to fall.

"I would never think of you like that..." He replied and he tensed slightly as her head found its way onto his shoulder. "Whatever you're going through, just tell me and I can help." Cato leaned his head down on hers, his cheek on her soft hair. "What's bothering you?" He asked quietly and she shifted in her spot for a moment. She snorted slightly through her nose but moved her head to look up at him.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She smiled slightly, her hazel eyes flashing with humor. Cato leaned down towards her with an eyebrow raised. He had that mischievous smirk on his features, his blue eyes locked onto hers.

"Try me." He mused and she laughed quietly.

And so, she explained to him her whole predicament. She told him about seeing herself. She told him about running away from the terror that was herself. She told him about hearing the voices and how she had terrible nightmares. But, she didn't tell him about how the nightmares had been about him.

Surprisingly, he never interrupted, he never even as much made a noise. He never looked at her in a scrutinizing way. He never looked at her like she was broken. Instead, his blue eyes were intent on her as she talked. He never let go of her hand.

"If she ever comes around again, you tell me and I'll make it stop..." Cato told her and she relaxed. They had gotten quiet after she finished her story but now she felt reassured. The others had disappeared awhile ago and left the two of them on the beach.

Her story had taken longer than Cato had thought but he sat quietly, perfectly intent to just relax and dig his fingers into the sand.

"I'm hot!" Shade said quietly, stealing Cato's attention from the warmth on his shoulders. Back in Disctrict 2, when he wasn't back in the Academy, he would climb up onto his roof and lay back in the sun. It was nice but more often than not, their District's temperature was at 100 degrees on a daily basis.

"Deal with it..." Cato grumbled quietly and his face was serious for a minute before his lips curled upward.

"Shut up and come swimming with me!" She lightly slapped his shoulder before she stood up and kicked some sand in his direction. He only glowered at her before brushing the sand off his torso.

Shade pranced down to the water's edge and without hesitation ran into the cool water. She dove underneath the cool waves, letting it stream passed her.

Underneath the water, it was a completely different world. The sun reflected off the white sand on the ocean floor. Fish and other sea animals could be seen beneath the waves and Shade smiled. It was different than swimming back in the old pond at home. It was usually murky and muddy and you couldn't see anything. But this. This was magical.

Her lungs burned slightly for air and so she swam back to the surface. Once she broke through, she gasped for air and pushed the dark hairout of her eyes. She laughed quietly before floating on her back.

"You know Cato, the water's really nice. You should come in!" Shay said and she shut her eyes, waiting for his reply. He never answered. "Cato?"

She tucked her feet underneath her and sat up looking around for the big Tribute. He hadn't answered so where could he have gotten off to?

Oh, wait. He was right there.

Shade had looked at the perfect moment. Well, maybe not perfect per say. Cato had stood up and he began tugging his shirt over his head. She blushed a deep crimson and put her face partially underwater to hide her red cheeks. He finished with his shirt and tossed it over to the side. Shade couldn't help but look at his toned chest or his perfectly formed abs.

Another blush burned her cheeks and she had to turn away momentarily as the school girl grin plastered her face. She didn't want Cato to see her like this. She was a complete mess.

Cato walked into the cold waves, letting it cool down his hot skin. He could see Shade standing in the shallows a couple yards away from him. Slipping down into the water, he let himself become fully submerged beneath and he closed his eyes as the cooling sensation washed completely over him.

Standing up once more, he surfaced and began walking towards her wet form.

She glanced back again as he resurfaced. The water rolled off his perfect skin in droplets. His hair was flattened against his head, making him look slightly dorky but he had a shitty grin on his face. Like he knew that she liked what she saw. Damn Career with his nice body.

She rolled her eyes and turned away from him and dove back beneath the surface and away from him. The occurrence in the swimming pool flashed through her head and Finnick's sculpted face entered her thoughts. Shade only shook her head and pushed that thought away as she streamed through the water. She felt something brush her ankle and she looked over her shoulder in the water.

Cato smiled widely at Shade through the water. She beamed right back at him and Cato watched with interest as her golden hair seemed frozen in midair as it hung suspended in the water. Diving down deeper, she brushed her hand against the soft white sand before she felt something close around her ankle.

She was yanked backwards through the water and she resurfaced out of the need for air. Of course, she came face to face with Cato who was staring down intently at her with his blue eyes.

Twilight blue.

Cato saw something flash in her eyes momentarily. _Fear_. She didn't know if this was real or not. She was scared of him. Cato released the slight grip he had on her and she backed away.

Her eyes were cast downward and she rubbed her arm awkwardly. The nightmares came back in that instant. The sword, the chasing, the screaming. His twilight blue eyes. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

_Calm down_. She commanded herself. _Everything's fine_. _You're just having fun swimming. _

"Are you alright?" Cato asked quietly and Shade turned around to face him but only partially. Her hazel eyes were clouded with fear and she swallowed nervously. She nodded after a moment of hesitation and her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"I just don't know who I can trust anymore..." Shade replied, her voice barely a whisper. It was a wonder Cato had even heard her. He ran his fingers through his once flat hair, causing it to stick up in all directions.

"You can trust me." He replied just as quietly, his own eyes cast downward.

"How do I know that?" She swallowed nervously as his shoulders tensed. His blue eyes flashed to her's but there was no hostility in them. The fear only lingered there. Shade wasn't the same girl he had known those few days ago. She wasn't the cocky anti-Career girl that he had meet in the elevator after the parade. Then, he also knew that she considered him a monster, even thought she claimed he wasn't one.

Looking back at Cato, she couldn't read what was in his eyes and his gaze was guarded, unlike how it was normally. Normally, Cato was an open book.

"Let me show you..." Cato said lowly and began to slowly slosh through the water towards her. She didn't move as he approached her. The small waves he created lapped at her stomach. She only stood rigid and tense, her chest rising at falling at a normal speed.

Cato stepped forward with uncertainty, wondering if what he was about to do was right. He stepped right up to her so that they were close, closer than Shade felt comfortable with. Her brow pulled together in worry again but Cato cupped her cheek with his calloused hand.

Her skin heated up beneath his fingers. His touch was foreign and electricity seemed to radiate from his large hand. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, making her extremely nervous. She didn't like this feeling.

Out of instinct, she closed her eyes as his breath fanned across her face. They were so close now, just inches apart. The tips of their noses touched and Cato shut his own eyes. Was what he doing, right?

"You can trust me, I promise..." He whispered but the words floated to her ears. She leaned her head into his palm and took a deep breath. This didn't feel right. She only felt this way about Peeta. _I can't do this... _She thought to herself and was about to pull away when Cato ever so slightly pressed his lips against hers.

Gentle.

The only word to describe it. In that one motion, that one small pressing together of their lips, all her worry left. All the doubt she carried for the Career was erased. Her doppelganger problems. Gone.

The kiss only lasted for a moment but it felt like years had passed. Reaching out, her hands placed themselves on the warm skin of his firm chest.

Without using words, he had explained to her why she could trust him. He _could_ and definitely _would_ protect her and do anything for her. Protect her, heal her, care for her. She swallowed nervously. _Love her?_

Cato pulled back after a moment, trying to keep himself under control. He had kissed girls before, more passionately and forcefully than this but this was Shade. She was different and she was still unknown to him.

But still, she knew him well enough to let him do this.

His blue eyes opened and gauged her reaction to his sudden actions. Her face was impassive for a moment before she opened her hazel eyes and mad blush spread across her cheeks. Cato didn't realize it but his thumb had been slowly stroking her jaw the entire time. A small smirk pulled at his lips and he let his hand fall from her face to come to rest on the small of her back.

"There's more where that came from, sweetheart..." His voice was a low rumble and his chest vibrated against her own. Shade's cheeks flushed brightly and she looked away from the other Tribute when she felt his fingers pulling her face back so that he could look at her. Just as he was about to bend down for another kiss, he had to stop.

"I told you for the hundredth time, Jo! My hair is naturally this color! I don't dye it!" They could hear Finnick call from the line of tropical trees. They both snickered at his remark.

"Yeah, just like I'm naturally ginger!" Johanna called back and the two of them laughed again before Cato released her and stepped back into the water. Sending her a wink, he swam back to shore, leaving her alone with the waves lapping at her body. Raising a hand up to her lips, she felt where his had been and sighed.

Well, shit was about to get confusing.

* * *

**Well, there you go.**

**Cato's confused about his feelings, Shade really isn't. Well, she was. If you haven't figured it out. Shade is in love with Peeta. Or, well she was back when they were in District 12. Too bad Peeta was so oblivious to Shade's feelings.**

**Okay, to clarify about the whole evil twin deal. Cato could not see his 'evil half'. Only Shade could. Why? Because she made a mental representation of Cato which was caused by her nightmares. Plus, she isn't completely sure that he isn't partially evil herself but after that last scene, I'm pretty sure she knows he isn't evil anymore.**

**To Kurskin, damn autocorrect. My phone has it too and it really makes me so mad! Plus, there will be plenty of drama coming up, you know with the gang having to escape the Arena.**

**To LexiStorm99, yeah. It's confusing. If I have to, I'll explain everything at the end of each chapter so everyone wouldn't be confused :)**

**Love you guys, review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Third Person's POV**

_Splash!_

A growl erupted from her throat as she missed.

_Splash!_

She missed once more and she kicked at the water. Running a hand through her now damp hair, she just stared at the bottom of the shallows.

_Splash!_

"You're never going to catch one that way!"

"Shut up, Finnick!"

"You're not even holding it right!"

"I said shut up and let me concentrate!" She yelled back at him and watched for any fish that swam by her foot. She saw a glimmer of silver dart passed and she plunged the trident into the cool water, resulting in another wave of water cascading over her body.

Finnick flinched as she drenched herself in water once again. Her form was terrible and she looked ridiculous holding the trident in her hands. She most definitely was not from District 4.

He had had enough of her ridiculousness and stood up, his feet sinking into the sand as he did so.

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" He began to walk down to the water's edge before splashing in. Reaching out, he tried taking the trident from her hands. "You're making a fool of yourself!"

"Yeah, I already knew that!" She growled and Finnick raised an eyebrow. She had been moody lately.

His sea green eyes drifted to the beach where the others were gathered, just talking. Cato was on the outer part of the circle and was trying to make it look like he wasn't watching Shade. But it was so obvious. A slow smirk pulled at his lips.

Oh, he knew what was wrong.

"Alright, now the key to using a trident is to have a firm grip and tons of patience!" Finnick reached for the trident but Shade held it out of his reach.

"Let me figure it out on my own!" She growled and he backed off but he heard her mumble some foul yet suggestive words under her breath.

"I could probably handle it better if it wasn't so damn big! Trying to overcompensate for something, Finnick?" Her lips twitched up slightly and her hazel eyes were fixed contently on the water.

"Oh please! My trident is just the right size!" Glancing over at Cato, he let his eyelids droop slightly before he sauntered over to Shay. A seductive smirk pulled back his lips and he leaned in towards her ear. "And I know you'd just love to see it!" Her back went rigid and a red hot blush rose up her cheeks.

She sent a harsh glare his way and he wouldn't have been surprised if it could kill. He only laughed before splashing her with some water before she went back to concentrating. She needed to cool down.

"Why do you keep doing that to me?" Finnick looked up from where he had seen a rock underneath the waves. Shade was stock still and her hazel eyes were locked on the water.

"Do what, hotcakes?" He asked even though he could guess what she was getting at. He bent down and picked up the rock, his arms becoming wet and his hands searched for the smooth stone.

"Flirt with me..."

"I don't flirt with you!" He turned the stone over in his hand, running his fingers over the smooth edges.

"Alright, then why did you drown in the pool?" Finnick was silent for a moment and she plunged the spear down into the water. Pulling it back, she had a piece of seaweed attached to the end of one of the sharp spikes. Her nose scrunched up and she tugged the plant life off.

"Leg cramp...?" He replied and she snorted.

"That's a load of shit...!" She said and tossed the seaweed his way. It landed over his head and came to rest over his face. He deadpanned and his nose twitched as he pulled the smelly plant off of himself. Shade plunged the end blunt end of the trident into the water and leaned on it. She placed her other hand on her hip and gave him a 'yeah right' look.

"You're fun to mess with?!" He tossed the seaweed back at her. She sloshed out of the way of the projectile, getting herself wet once more.

"So you aren't hopelessly in love with me?" She teased before he moved to stand closer to her. She only glanced up at her but her cheeks burned nonetheless. Reaching out, he gently pushed back a piece of stray hair behind her ear. Glancing over her shoulder, Cato's eyes were on the both of them. He didn't look happy.

Oh, Finnick liked stirring the pot.

"I think that it's the other way around!" He leaned forward slightly. "You have just yet to realize it, kitten..." He whispered lowly and her eyes closed for a moment.

Not this again.

Finnick smirked for a moment, wondering what he could further do to further tease her. However, he pulled back and left her there with a blush on her cheeks.

"I beg to differ!" She yelled angrily, completely pissed at herself for how easy it was for him to play with her emotions. Finnick laughed again and he splashed her. She squealed loudly as the cold water hit her.

He watched as she ignored him once again and went back to trying to catch a fish. His eyes shifted to the bank and he knew Cato was glaring daggers at the District 4 Victor. Shade cursed again, pulling Finnick's attention away from the Tribute. She failed miserably and instead, caught more seaweed.

"At least let me teach you how to use a trident... You look ridiculous!" Finnick interjected as he sloshed towards her once more and took the trident away from her. "Firm grip. Steady breathing. Don't move at all. Make quick and precise movements. Don't stab your foot." Finnick ordered before tapping the tip of her nose which she wrinkled up with distaste. Finnick then froze, following his own instructions

He waited until a fish floated aimlessly around his ankles before he lunged and expertly speared the silver creature. Peeling it off the three prongs, he tossed the dying fish upon the shore and watched as it flopped around a bit.

"You're turn!" He chimed and tossed the trident to her which she easily caught. She steadied herself, bracing against the slight waves that beat against them, then she slowed her breathing and focused on the water once more, her hands tight around the base of the trident.

Finnick noticed a fish near his foot and he saw Shay's eyes find it as well. He was about to protest and tell her not to attack but before he could, she stabbed.

Finnick let out an audible squeak when the trident settled in the soft sand, the sharp prongs just inches from his foot. He stumbled back a bit into the water, making sure his foot was clear of the weapon's prongs. "And don't spear your instructor's foot!"

"Sorry, but you're just so fishy!" She replied with a smirk and with a few tugs, pulled the out trident which was buried deeply in the sand. They were both quiet for a moment, Shade watching for another fish and Finnick admiring the rock he found. "Finnick, can I ask you something?" He looked up into her bright hazel eyes.

"Shoot."

"Have you ever been in love with two people at once?" He flinched slightly, taken aback by her question. It was almost like a trap that was set up for him. How could you answer something like that? What he had with Shay wasn't really love. At least, not what he had with Annie.

"No."

"You love someone special, don't you?"

"Yes... And could you say the same thing for yourself?"

"I'm not sure anymore..." She replied quietly. Finnick was scheming and tossed the stone up into the air and caught it in his large hands.

"Let me guess..."

"No! You can't guess!"

"Why not? I already know it's not me!"

"You can't ask because... Wait? _What_?"

"I'm not your first choice...!"

"First choice?! You aren't my second choice either! Since when did I start making choices?" Her voice raised an octave and she glanced at the group when they had heard her. They looked away after a moment, going back to whatever they had done, passing it off as anger towards Finnick which was common in the group.

"So... I'm _third_?"

"No! You aren't anything Finnick!" His shoulders fell slightly and she laughed. "Besides, I already know about Annie..."

Finnick froze before locking his eyes with hers. Shade only stared back evenly at the handsome Victor, her hip popped out to the side. A smirk played at her features and for a second, Finnick's cheeks turned slightly pink. Haha. She had him in her clutches.

"Were you always in love with her?" Shade asked. Finnick pondered this or a moment before he scratched his chin. He was silent for only a few seconds before he turned his head to her, a boyish smile on his features. Shade had to admit, he did look adorable like that and easily saw why the Capitol women swooned. How she had swooned when she was back in District 12. How it weren't for Peeta and Cato, she would have swooned.

"No, she sort of... _Snuck_ up on me!" His green eyes sparkled before he turned away from her and walking back towards shore. Maybe Finnick wasn't such a ladies' man after all.

Turns out that someone already had a clutch on his warm heart.

* * *

Cato watched their quiet exchange from land. Of course Finnick would be all touchy feely with Shade. He always got the women with his good looks and bronze hair. The thought of his lips on Shay's made Cato's toes curl.

Maybe Cato would have to feign drowning to feel her lips on his once more. He could make it work.

Those were his lips. Maybe he would have to make it more evident that they were his.

Another male had presented himself to the only available female to the group. It was just an instinct passed down from their ancestors and evolution that a male human must choose a female to reproduce with so the offspring can keep the habitat populated.

A growl rumbled in his chest. Shade was his. Not Finnick's.

Before this, Cato had never really thought about how possessive he was of his things. But now that he had a possible mate, well, girlfriend, he didn't want anyone to have a chance with her. As Cato was deep in thought about Shade, the group behind him was talking quietly among themselves.

It was going to happen tonight. They were getting out of the arena. Beetee had the wire that they would need. Johanna knew what she had to do, what she had to sacrifice. They had their set time when the lightning would strike at midnight, signalling that the clock reset itself.

Haymitch had gotten into contact with them and told them that they would need to remove their trackers in the dead zone and then they would be picked up by the hover craft.

"What are you guys talking about?" Shade asked and they grew quiet. Peeta only looked up at his best friend for a moment, her skin glistening with water and Finnick's trident in her hand. Said Victor stood behind her, a rock still in his hands. He wasn't paying them any attention.

He shared a look with Katniss before standing up and brushing the sand off his pants.

"Let's walk." He said as he tossed her sword to her and she slung her knife belt around her waist. Peeta held out his hand and she placed her hand in his. Warmth radiated up her arm and she smiled slightly. He led her toward the tree line and once they reached the shade, he let her hand go. It dropped to her side and her smile fell.

"What's going on?" She asked and her hazel eyes filled with worry when he released a deep breath. He began to pace around the small clearing for a few seconds and her hazel eyes traced his movements.

"Peeta, what's going on?" She asked more sternly this time and he stopped before his blue eyes froze on her.

"We're escaping from the arena." Her hazel eyes widened as the words struck home. Glancing around her hand darted out and clamped over his mouth. His blue eyes widened in shock and she sighed before stabbing her sword into the ground.

"You have to be more careful! The Capitol could hear us!" Peeta removed her hand and shook his head.

"No they can't, we're in the dead zone..."

"Dead zone?"

"Yeah, its were they didn't put any cameras or microphones."

"And, how would you know this?"

"Haymitch..."

"Of course... So, when is this happening?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight? How many are leaving?"

"Five..."

"Only five people?" She counted the people off in her head. Katniss, Johanna, Beetee, Finnick, Cato, Peeta, and herself. That was seven.

"Katniss, Finnick, Beetee, and the both of us..." Only five were leaving. There was no room for Cato. Or Johanna, she noted.

"Katniss is still the Mockingjay. We have a plan right?"

"Yeah, we have it handled." Her hazel eyes flashed dangerously up to his blue ones.

"Make room for two more..." Peeta looked up at her.

"Who? Cato?"

"No... Thresh and Rue. They're good kids and don't deserve death a second time..." She told him quietly and began walking away.

"How are we going to find them then!? We're running out of time!?" Peeta jogged to catch up with her and they emerged back on the beach. The group glanced over at them when they caught sight of them.

"That's the only problem! I haven't figured that out yet!" Maybe she could ask Beetee. He was from Disctrict 3 and knew all kinds of technical and mechanical things. Approaching the Victor, she squatted down next to him. He had a solemn look on his face as he stared down at the ball of wire in his hands.

"Hey, Beetee. Is there a fast way to get around the arena?" He looked up at her and shifted the glasses on his nose.

"Well, there are the system of portals that run around the arena..."

"Portals?"

"Yes, they let you jump from one location to another at random..." Well, great.

"So, can one get me back to the southern side of the island?"

"There is a possibility..."

"Do you know where the nearest one is?"

"There has to be at least one on this side of the island. You're just going to have to look for it." And there was the downfall.

"Damn..." She glanced around at her surroundings for a moment. Her eyes suddenly caught on Cato's form. He was laid back in the sun, soaking up rays. The Tribute was leaned back with his hands holding himself up. His blue eyes were closed in contentment and Shade's mood deflated slightly.

He had been distant ever since the kiss in the water. They both of them hadn't spoken to each other. She didn't now why they hadn't spoken.

"Cato...?" She called quietly and he didn't move for a minute. However, his blue eyes slowly opened and he turned his head towards her. They flashed with some unknown emotion and he sat forward.

He didn't say anything but instead, he just looked at her intently. He didn't look to be in a playful mood and his blue eyes were hard. Her shoulders drooped in exhaustion and she didn't really want to deal with a hostile Cato at the moment.

Instead, she rose and approached her pack that had been tossed aside. Picking it up, she slung it over her back. The canteen still weighed it down, along with the flint, blanket, and her jacket.

Her lips were set down in a scowl as she moved to the weapons' pile. If she had to go by herself, than that was fine. It wasn't like she couldn't handle herself now that her shoulder was on the mend.

She tightened the knife belt around her waist, putting the metallic stopper into another notch. Shade had noticed that as well. She was getting thinner despite having a solid meal at least once every day.

She slipped her sword into the opposite side. Fastening her quiver over her shoulder, she picked up her bow and held it tightly in her hand. Before she laced her boots up, she strapped her hunting knife to her ankle with another sheath.

After tying her boots, she stood up to her full height. Her hazel eyes were hard with determination and she tied her hair back tightly with her original hair tie from the start of the Games.

"No one needs to follow me. I should be back by sundown if all goes well." Her voice was hard and she nodded to Peeta and Beetee who knew what was going on. Finnick raised an eyebrow in confusion at her sudden mood swing but didn't say anything. Johanna only grumbled something under her breath which was excepted as a goodbye. Katniss only sent her a questioning glance and Peeta placed his hand over hers to tell her it was okay.

Cato felt his skin prickle as Shade's hazel gaze passed over him. He suppressed the urge to shiver as she glared daggers at her. He wasn't going to say anything? Not even goodbye? However, he didn't even look her way, for fear that he would give away his emotions.

Because Cato was bitter with himself. He had let himself have emotions for this girl from District 12. That wasn't supposed to happen. The only emotions Careers were supposed to have were anger and rage. Not... _other affections_.

Turning away, Cato watched Shay leave out of his peripheral vision and the tension left with her. When she reached the cover of the thick branches, she slipped back into her old self. Her instincts immediately sharpened and her footsteps softened on the ground, making barely any noise.

With deadly grace, she wove in and out of the trees, listening for any humming noise that would signal that a portal was near.

* * *

She had been searching for a few hours and her once deadly stance dropped and she had gotten bored. Shade had slung the bow across her chest so it sat at an angle.

Getting a running start, she jumped up and wrapped her hands around a strong branch. Using her forward motion, she swung up so that the balls of her feet rested on the branch.

Jumping upward, she grasped onto another branch and began making her way through the thick undergrowth with a certain ease.

A shriek rang out to her right and on instinct she drew a throwing knife and clutched it between her fingers. Her eyes narrowed against the sun in her eyes as she tried to find her prey. A weird type of monkey looked at her with wide, terrified eyes. It shrieked once more at her before leaping off into another tree.

Shade let out a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Leaning back against the trunk of the tree she was currently occupying. Damn animals. Of course, she would be eating one of them in another hour or two.

As she sat quietly in the tree for a moment, she shut her eyes. Then she heard it, panting. She slowed her rapid breathing and carefully peered over the edge of the thick branch. A familiar, fuzzy figure padded up to the tree she was in. He sniffed it with his wet nose before raising his face up towards her. Letting out a happy yip, his tail swished back and forth.

"And might I ask where have you been, my good sir?" She scolded from the branch. He only panted up at her, his lips almost pulled back in a smile. She landed on the forest floor with a solid thud, her shins aching slightly from the impact.

"Ow." She reached down and rubbed one of her shins. However, she was knocked to the forest floor, Glitch on top of her. She let out a squeal as he assaulted her face with his wet tongue. "Alright, enough!" She growled and the wolf got off her chest.

Sitting up, she listened to the silence around them. She heard a quiet buzzing noise and she tilted her head in that direction. Shade wasn't to far away from it.

"Do you know where the portal is?" Glitch panted and happily waved his tail. "Where's the portal?" He barked before trotting off around a corner. Coming around the corner of the large rock, a brilliant blue circle danced around as it was suspended in mid air.

Brushing a fern leaf out of her way, she stepped into the clearing. Well, they had found it. However, this was an unknown thing to her and she didn't like it. Would it hurt when she stepped through it? What if it got her to the wrong place? What if it just disintegrated her?

She hesitantly approached it and she stepped up to the blue orb._ I have to hurry and find them before the sun goes down... _She was about to step forward into the blue light when someone grabbed her shoulder. Reacting quickly, she had grabbed the attacker's hand. She brought it up over her head and then turned and pushed whoever it was against a tree. Drawing her blade out, she pressed the cold steel to their neck.

With wild, almost feral eyes, he turned to look at her. For a moment, she didn't realize who she had pinned to a tree with her sword digging into his neck. "Uh, ow?" His voice rumbled but his face didn't show any pain.

Her eyes suddenly widened in shock and she dropped the sword from her hand. It clattered loudly to the ground, sending a metallic ringing through the clearing. She quickly adverted her eyes to the forest floor, feeling ashamed of herself. She looked up hesitantly and their eyes met after a moment. His jaw was clenched and that dark, guarded look was in his eyes.

However, she tried softening her gaze, trying to somehow break through to Cato so she realized that she didn't know what was going on. Something briefly flickered in his eyes at her look but he quickly looked away. Sighing, she turned back to the portal after picking up her sword. She reached her hand out to the blue orb and her hand became all tingly.

She felt soft fur on her leg and looked down to Glitch. He panted up at her, his amber eyes full of joy with being back. With a quick bark, the beast ran towards the orb and leapt through. She watched as his tail disappeared with a sudden increase with the buzzing.

_Alright... Here goes nothing... _Slipping her sword back into her belt, she readied herself to jump and used her strong legs to propel herself forward. Her eyes shut as the tingling surrounded her and then she was falling into nothingness. A scream escaped her throat and she was suspended for a moment before her body slammed into the hard ground.

All the air rushed from her lungs and her body ached as she laid on the ground. Well, that had hurt but in a totally different way. Shade had been expecting a shock. No, this was worse. With a groan, she rolled over onto her back and looked up at the blue sky. After lying still for a moment, she slowly rose to her feet. Brushing her frazzled hair from her eyes, she looked around.

A loud buzzing suddenly sounded behind her and she turned around just in time for his body to collide with hers. With a crack, their skulls connected and they dropped to the ground with a thud. They both collapsed with a loud groan of pain.

Cato's large body easily covered hers and he seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness.

Shade struggled under his weight. Using her arms, she tried lifting his huge body off hers. Oh, God he was huge. Using her hands, she tried pushing his face away but it slumped back onto her own face. His large body was pressing down on her own and she could hardly breathe.

"C-Cato...!" She managed to wheeze out but she eventually gave up. Instead, she just laid back on the grass underneath Cato. He was quiet warm and the way he was splayed across her let her feel all of his muscles against her's. She looked up at the sky, they probably had four hours left to find them but with a huge blonde keeping her on the ground, they weren't getting anywhere. "Cato!" She rasped out again.

Her hazel eyes stared up at the blue sky and she prayed that somehow, he would wake up. Her fingers had subconsciously ran themselves through his soft, spiky hair. Cato groaned quietly before he snuggled into her like she was a teddy bear.

"No, Cato! I'm not a pillow!" She reached down and patted his cheek with her hand. "Wake up!"

He had awoken when he felt soft fingers running through his hair. It felt just like how his mother used to do it and he snuggled into the warm body that was showing him affection. He liked it. He liked it a lot. But then she began slapping his cheek and her sweet voice filled his ears. "Wake up!"

His blue eyes slowly opened, his pupils dilating from the sudden light. His eyes instantly found Shade's hazel ones. They were filled with concern and it made his stomach churn. Concern for him. He then realized that their cheeks were pressed up against each other. And his head hurt. Really badly.

His leader mode suddenly slipped into place and he rolled off her. He groaned as his back hit the ground and his head pounded from the impact. She took a deep breath to regain the lost oxygen from her lungs.

"Damn it! Never again!" Cato complained and cradled his head in his hands. He carefully felt the growing lump on the side of his head and frowned.

"I agree!" She groaned and cradled her own head. It felt someone had beat it in with a rock. "This brings a whole new meaning to 'hard headed'..." She complained, earning a laugh from Cato. He looked down at her for a moment, the haze completely lifting from his blue eyes.

Shade slowly sat up, missing the warmth that his body had provided as he laid on top of her. She had liked it.

_Woah... That's not supposed to happen!_ She thought to herself. Cato and her weren't like that. But, they seemed to fit together so perfectly. She was a strong match for him considering the fragility that other women seemed to have. Shade had much more muscle than others girls had as well, meaning that she probably had more stamina for... other things. Things that would come in the future if their relationship progressed. If you would call their relationship a relationship.

"You have a huge knot on your head!" Her voice pulled him from his suddenly heated thoughts. He glanced at her and she pointed up at his head. Reaching his fingers up, he found the skin that was hurting. Wincing slightly, he prodded it gently. "You should let me look at that..."

"Why? You're not a doctor?" He growled and rubbed the knot gently. He regretted snapping at her when she shrank back slightly. But in an instant, a fire blazed inside of them and she set her lips in a firm line.

"So, you aren't a survival specialist yet you try to take care of me!" She snapped back and reached out, grabbing a handful of his hair and pulling him towards her. He hissed in pain and after a loud protest, he quieted when she thumped him on his sore spot, afraid that she would do it again.

He was surprised at how gentle her fingers were and how different they were when she was mad at him. He wondered what it would be like to have those soft hands on his body, gently rubbing the tension from his shoulders or grasping at his arms in a heated kiss. _Stop._ He warned himself.

"Unfortunately, you aren't going to die..."

"Unfortunately?" He heard the teasing tone in her voice and she still had her hand placed on the top of his head. Her fingers were laced through his hair and he liked the feeling. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Somewhere." She tried, ruffling his hair in an affectionate way.

Shade didn't really want to tell him that they were going to find Rue and Thresh, Thresh especially. For some reason, the two boys hated each other and Shade thought it had something to do with Alpha male, strength issues or something. Or testosterone.

She stood up and brushed passed him and began walking towards the tree line when her back was suddenly slammed into a tree. All the air rushed from her lungs and she opened her mouth in shock, looking like a fish as she tried to breathe.

"Shade?" Cato asked her more forcefully this time. He really wanted to know, wondering if he should just turn back now and go back through the portal. The look in her eyes told him something, something she knew he wouldn't like. "Where. Are. We. Going?"

"We're going to find a couple tributes. They helped me when my shoulder first got hurt and I wanted to help them. Now, get off me!" This was more of a command this time and he was surprised at the bite in her tone. He could easily see the anger in her eyes and it only brought a smirk to his features. He wondered how far he could push her. He didn't move.

"Cato. Get off." She growled again but he didn't move once more. "Why are you even doing this? Are you mad at me?" His head jerked in surprise. He hadn't been mad at her. He was mad at himself. He had just been more guarded and held back to think about what he did.

"Furious...!" He teased and smirked once more. He saw the fire blaze in her eyes as she tried to push away from him but he placed his hands on either side of her head. She was trapped and she knew it.

"Then if you're so mad at me, why did you even come!?" She yelled right into his face, her breath warm on his face. He shut his eyes momentarily as it brushed over his face. He was surprised he hadn't been slapped yet.

"I was bored..."

"Really? That's all you got? You decided to follow me through the woods for three hours and then sneak up on me because you were bored!?" She snapped and he only watched as she blew up. The smirk was still in place on his lips. "Oh, God! I swear Cato, if you don't get away me this moment, I will wait until you are asleep and then I'll take one of my knives and-" She didn't get to finish her threat as his lips pushed down onto hers.

She struggled against him momentarily, wanting to continue her threat, before he lowered one of his hands down from the tree to her face, holding her soft lips against his. Her motions nearly stopped at his surprisingly gentle touch. Her back was rigid for a moment but then she was like clay in his hands. All he had to do was shape her.

His large hand held her cheek, his thumb rubbing along her jaw line. The other moved down to stroke her lower back where he pushed her against him. He made an audible groan after taking a deep breath.

Control.

The word ran through his head time and time again. Shade wasn't as big as he was. Well, she wasn't so much smaller than he was. He had more experience than she did when it came to romance, or at least the way she blushed around him made him think that anyway. He pulled back for a moment, resting his forehead against hers.

His blue eyes softened as he looked down at her. He was pulled from his thoughts when a warm hand moved up to his own cheek. Her thumb gently caressed his cheek bone and his eyes shut as he leaned into her touch. Cato looked so peaceful in that one moment.

It had been a risky move. But, of course, Cato would be the only man in the world gutsy enough to kiss a snarling female when she was threatening him with knives.

It happened in a flash and Cato didn't even know what was going on before it was too late. Somehow, Shade had managed to turn them around and now she was freed from his grasp. His blue eyes flashed open in surprise and he was met by a soft kiss that was as light as a feather. Then there was one on his jaw.

Cato was caught off guard by her forwardness but the cogs had been turning in her head. Now, she was free to go as she had distracted him long enough. Her lips were there for a moment before they were suddenly gone, the warmth leaving his own.

Her hand scooped up her discarded bow and Cato watched as she walked away from him, her hips swaying in triumph. A smirk curled at his lips and he rested his head back against the tree.

She really just did that.

He pushed off the tree and dusted himself off. Readjusting the pack on his back, he picked up his sword that he had brought with him. Turning to go after her, he trotted off to follow the girl that had been the first to allude him in a long time.

* * *

**Woo hoo! Another kiss!**

**Except, it was kind of risky, considering that Cato did pretty much tackle Shade through the portal. Wow jerk. Take advantage of her much? Just kidding. Love you, Cato.**

**Sorrry I haven't updated lately. I've got this little thing called basketball and we've been having games almost none stop, leaving me hardly any time to write. Also, the end of the semester is coming up so that means finals. Yuck.**

**So an update could come really soon or it could be really late, it just depends.**

**To Kurskin, yes Finnick hit on her. Yes, he also loves Annie. He doesn't really like like her and he's sort of just messing around and teasing her. Cause, you know, Finnick is a jokester. I love him though. Wish I could marry him. Plus, thanks for the praise. I like it a lot.**

**To Nix, technically, Shade is still in love with Peeta. I mean, she can't have a crush right? They've been friends forever so why can't she? I don't see any harm in it. She was only confused because when Cato kissed her and stopped, she wondered why he stopped. Cause she liked it. Sort of. She's still unsure of her feelings like any normal teenager.**

**P.S. I don't plan to kill Finnick. Yet. Or maybe not even at all. Muahaha! You'll just have to read to find out!**

**(I'm evil.) Review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Third Person's POV**

Raising her head to the sky, she listened to the wonderful twinkling of the sponsor gift that lazily drifted towards her. Haymitch wasn't such a bad mentor after all. However, a scowl overcame her face when the package got caught in the branches of a tree. Never mind. She took back that last thought.

"Damnit, Haymitch! Making me work for my prize!" She grumbled and stepped up towards the tree. Cato only snickered behind her and she wheeled on him. "What?"

"Aren't you going to go get it?" He asked. She wrinkled up her nose at him before reaching out to grasp a hold of a knot on the trunk of the tree. Heaving herself upward, she found her footing and continued to climb upward until the sponsor gift was only just out of reach.

"Almost!" She gritted her teeth and reached outward. Her long fingers brushed against the gift and she growled once more. Really, Haymitch? "You couldn't have brought it three inches closer!"

"Just reach for it and if you fall, I'll catch you!" Cato called from below her. She only mocked him but at the same time, reached outward towards the package. Trying another plan, she turned around and used her foot to poke the gift. Her legs were longer than her arms.

"Probably drop me on purpose..." She grumbled and continued to prod at the hanging package.

"What?!" Cato called from underneath her.

"NOTHING!" She yelled back down to her partner before she went back to concentrating. She managed to get it to swing towards her. Turning back around, she grabbed a hold of the box and hauled it towards her. Taking her knife out of her boot, she began to saw at the ropes holding the package to the parachute.

As she cut the last thread, her fingers slipped from around gift and it fell towards the ground. And towards Cato.

"_Fuck_!" Cato shouted as the box hit him on the top of his head. He hadn't been paying attention and had been looking at his sword when he got smashed over the head with the near solid object.

Haymitch laughed out loud when the sponsor gift hit Cato over the back of the head. It had been Cato's anyway and he watched as Shade looked confused when she saw the '2' printed on the lid of the first gift. Effie only slapped his arm, reminding him of his manners, however he still snorted into his drink as he took a sip. Pressing the button beside him, he sent her package her way which caused it to land in a tree just a jump away. Shade sent another glare up at the sky, knowing that he was doing this on purpose.

"I'm not a freaking circus performer!" She growled before taking a few steps back and running across the branch, throwing herself across the gap. Both Haymitch and Cato watched as she soared through the air. It seemed like she was so comfortable with free falling. Cato wondered what it was like.

Of course, he was to big to actually climb a tree so it would end up that he would just fall on his ass like he did last year. That had cost him some sponsors. His head throbbed where the gift had hit and he rubbed his sore spot. Oh, that's right. The box had hit his already sore spot where he and Shay had head butted.

Shade caught herself on another branch, landing more roughly than the last time. The tree knocked the wind from her lungs and her stomach conformed to the hard wood. She would probably have a bruise tomorrow.

Groaning, she hauled herself up and arm muscles burned from all the climbing she had done that day. She sat still for a moment, regaining her breath before she approached the second capsule. This one had a '12' on the lid and she could easily reach this one so she wouldn't need Cato to catch her if she actually fell.

It was almost as if Haymitch knew that she would drop it on Cato's head. _Oh, I see what you did there..._ She thought and a rare smile crept on her face. Haymitch was sending Cato a message.

_Don't mess with my tribute._ Was almost written across the entire package.

Dropping down to the ground with the slightly smaller package under her arm, Cato already was trying to get the lid off. He had his tongue sticking out of his mouth and he twisted off the lid using his brute force. However, Shade pulled hers off easily.

Haymitch was having too much fun with this.

Pulling off the lid, she rummaged inside and pulled out what appeared to be a black shirt. However, when she pushed that aside, she lifted out what appeared to be a black metallic vest. It was relatively heavy and thick but still flexible. Weird. Shade guessed that it could stand up against knives, swords, and arrows.

"Armor..." Cato voiced and Shade turned to look at him, examining his own set that he received. Of course, his had been bigger and didn't have as much room in the chest as her's did. The dark metal shimmered in the sunlight.

"Why do we need armor?" She asked as the steel rested in her hands.

"Dunno. Probably to keep you safe..." Cato said the words before he realized they even left his mouth. That wasn't supposed to be said out loud. He clenched his jaw and began panicking but remained calm on the outside.

Hearing metal clanking, Cato looked up from his own armor and saw that she had slipped the shirt over her head and was trying to fasten the armor around her thin form. He watched as the metal hugged her skin perfectly, acting as if it were a second skin. He guessed that her stylist had taken her measurements and had armor crafted just for her.

Clipping it together, she latched it together but she grunted as she tried to fasten the last two clips but she couldn't reach them. Cato rolled his eyes at her antics before walking over and fastening the two clips with much practice.

"Thanks." She said quietly and nodded at him. Her hazel eyes sparkled as she looked up at him and his blue ones mirrored her own.

"Your welcome." His fingers lightly traced across the cold steel. He smiled faintly, thinking of the days back at the Academy when they had done training in armor. It had been quite comical when Clove had received her first set. It had been to big and bulky, causing her to struggle with her fluid knife throwing.

Turning back to his own capsule, he slipped the black metal over his head. It came to settle over his shoulders and he adjusted it so that it fit tightly.

At first it was cold on his chest but he welcomed the relief from the heat of the sun over head. However, he didn't need help fastening the armor and he clicked it into place. His stylist had also taken into consideration his shape and had sculpted the metal to fit against his stomach muscles perfectly. Like pieces to a puzzle.

"Wait, there is something else in mine!" She reached down into the large container and pulled out two metal vambraces. She slowly strapped them to her wrists, unsure of how to do it. Cato wanted to make his way over to her and take her wrist in his large hands, tying the vambrace around her slender arm.

However, he restrained himself and looked back into his container. There was a sword scabbard waiting inside and he pulled it out and strapped it around his waist. At least, he wouldn't have to carry his blade anymore. Shade tightened her knife belt around her waist and made sure they were all in place.

"Are we ready to go?" She asked, drawing his attention away from his sword. Sliding into place, he looked up at her and nodded.

"You know, you never really told me where we are actually going..." He said as they began to walk back through the forest. Shade chose not to answer him for a moment and opted to just walk in silence.

"We're just going to find some other tributes and... Offer them refuge with us..." She said after a long while of silence. At that thought, his blue eyes drifted to the darkening sky. The sun was still up and they had a few hours until it got dark.

"And just exactly who are we taking back with us?" He asked again and Shade tensed. She knew that Cato wouldn't like the idea of having Thresh around. She swallowed nervously and then met his blue gaze with steady eyes.

"Rue." No other words needed to be spoken. He knew that the younger girl had a soft spot for children, just like she had with Kaz but he wasn't so sure she had the same feelings now that he had betrayed her.

Hell, maybe she even wanted to kill him.

* * *

Cato finished his piece of squirrel meat and tossed it into the bushes to his left. They had been traveling for some time now and had only just stopped to eat but it had to be quick Shay had told him.

The huntress was standing atop a low hanging branch, leaning against the base of the tree with her bow in hand. Her eyes were trained on her surroundings, still being cautious of the other Tributes in the arena.

Knowing that Brutus and Gloss were out there made her restless, having killed the District 1's sister only a few days ago. She also wondered how many tributes were left in the arena. She had heard a few cannons go off but didn't really pay attention as she was further occupied.

Cato looked up at Shade and he remembered his promise made to what appeared to be her surrogate family.

_"You should go after her..." Finnick said as they watched Shade's retreating form. She slipped into the tree line and disappeared entirely. "You know you want to!" He teased and Cato's blue eyes flashed angrily. How dare he imply that, even though it were true._

_"Go get her..." Peeta added quietly. Cato looked at him and narrowed his eyes. Rising from the ground, they saw the rest of the group nod, also telling him to leave and chase after her._

_Gathering up his pack and sword, Cato complied. He did so slowly, as to not show to much enthusiasm and give away his feelings to the rest of the group._

_"If you plan on catching up, you might want to take him..." Finnick pointed off towards the tree line and his eyes sought out a ghostly white figure watching the group intently. The Victor then stood up and approached Cato. __Reaching under his shirt, the Victor pulled the cord of black rope from its hiding place. The onyx charm dangled on the end, the little wolf frozen in an everlasting howl. _

_Alright. He got Finnick's message. _

_Pushing his hand away, Cato sent a glare towards Finnick before tucking the charm away. __Clutching the sword tightly in his hand, he began to make his way over to the wolf but was stopped when someone grabbed his wrist. Peeta turned the tribute around harshly, blue eyes clashing against blue. The only difference between the two were the differing colors of the same hue._

_"Take care of her!" Peeta warned and Cato nodded his head briskly. Understanding passed between them and Peeta released the bigger Tribute. Cato turned and made his way over to the tree line._

_The ghostly white figure had disappeared and hearing a low growl behind him, Cato turned with his sword gripped tightly in his hand._

_"Look, I know we don't get along. Shade will get away from us and I know you care about her, Glitch..." It felt weird talking to the wolf but nonetheless, it had to be done. It seemed as if the animal could understand what he was saying before suddenly, the white wolf trotted off, his nose to the ground as he followed her trail._

She dropped down to the ground, causing Cato to stir and he was pulled from his memories. Glitch grumbled from across the other side of the clearing. The creature had taken a rest in the shade of one of the thick bushes.

"We need to keep moving, we're running out of time!" She said quietly before she trotted off into the trees. Cato immediately jogged to catch up to her and kept pace with her.

"Why are we running out of time?" She didn't answer and kept her hazel gaze on the forest ahead of her. However, after a couple minutes of fast paced sprinting, she stopped and slammed a hand against his chest. He skidded to a stop and she pointed up at the sky. Black smoke lazily billowed up towards the clouds, signalling that someone had made a camp fire.

The scenery had changed around them, becoming all to familiar. If they listened carefully, they could hear the river just ahead of them and knew that they were almost back to Shade's old camp.

Swallowing nervously, she glanced at the trees, making sure that there wasn't another pair of Tributes or Victors around.

* * *

After swimming across the river, they both sloshed onto land. The armor hadn't weight her down to badly and Shade rung the water from her hair and made sure her bow and quiver were in place.

Once they entered the woods once more, she stopped and held out a hand.

"You may want to wait here. You're not exactly the most welcoming of tributes if you know what I mean!" She winked at him, causing him to smile slightly. He only nodded his head before she turned to leave but she stopped when his hand closed around her wrist.

"Be careful, trouble..." He winked at her and her lip twitched up slightly before it returned into a tight line. This made Cato raise his eyebrows in surprise. She was focused like a hawk. Not even his flirty words could make her smile.

"I will." She replied back quietly. Plopping down on a fallen tree, he would just have to wait to get back. Watching her walk through the trees, he sighed. It was nice to know though, that Shade found him intimidating yet she still felt comfortable enough to kid around with him.

Shade quietly made her way through the trees, making sure to keep quiet and not startle any wildlife around. She didn't need to warn them that she was coming and sneaking up on them might make give her a chance to protect herself if Thresh got overly protective.

The fire was just ahead of her now and she could see figures moving around it. She could only see two and leaping from tree to tree, she was at the edge of the clearing now. Looking down on their small camp, Shade casually watched as the two of them moved about.

Thresh kept his eyes on the little girl at all times, a certain softness for in them that was only reserved for her.

She watched them for a few minutes, making sure that they were comfortable enough to know that she hadn't been noticed. However, as the skies darkened, both of them settled in for the night. Rue had taken up resting against Thresh's shoulder and her brown eyes had drifted shut.

Shade smiled slightly, knowing that she wasn't the only one to find someone to be with in the Games.

Movement suddenly caught her eye and she narrowed her hazel pools at the approaching figure. In the firelight, she could faintly make out the long blonde hair that was bundled in a mess. She moved quietly through the undergrowth with a deadly grace. The body came up closer to the fire and the glinting of a knife could be seen from her position. The figure came up right behind Thresh and was about to bring down the blade and burrow it into his back. Shade drew her bow and aimed.

The movement drew the attention of both the attacker and Thresh. His dark eyes narrowed at her but the attacker only raised its eyes from its target, shock flashing through them. Its mouth fell agape and Shade smirked slightly.

Releasing the taut string, for the first time ever, Shade's arrow had hit its mark perfectly.

* * *

_Boom._

Cato's blue eyes flashed open. Looking up at the sky, he listened as the cannon went off. Looking over at Glitch, the wolf raised his head as well. Shade. Shit.

"Shade!" Cato called before gathering his things and racing off into the tree line, the white wolf close on his heels. Cursing himself, he knew that he should have followed her. He shouldn't have let her go by herself. If something happened to her, he was going to be pissed.

Calling her name once more, he continued sprinting towards the black cloud of smoke until he reached the clearing where he slowed. He hadn't heard her scream. She hadn't called his name. It had been dead silent.

There was always the chance that someone else died on the other side of the island. _Yeah, that's exactly what happened..._ He reassured himself. However, as he got closer to the smoke, a scream rang out through the thick trees, causing his brows to furrow with worry.

Picking up his pace, he sprinted towards the smoke once again. _God damn it, Shade. Don't be dead.  
_

* * *

_Boom._

Shade held her arm out in front of her still, her shoulder shaking slightly. Looking at Thresh, shock filled his dark eyes and he looked back to her. She dropped her shoulder with the bow and Rue was startled awake by the loud echo from the cannon.

The little girl's face was surprisingly calm for a moment before she gazed around the clearing and saw the dead body next to her District partner. A scream suddenly ripped from her throat and she buried her head into Thresh's chest.

"It's alright..." He told her quietly as he stroked her dark hair. Shade dropped down from the tree quietly, her feet gracefully connecting with the soft ground. Her legs had gotten shaky as soon as she let that arrow fly. It was her third kill in the Hunger Games.

"Stupid bitch." Shade grumbled as she looked down at the attacker. Her silver arrow stuck out of Glimmer's neck. She deserved the death that was coming to her. Shade had only been bidding her time and she knew that eventually she would meet Glimmer again.

But apart of her was also in shock. The arrow had hit its mark just like she had wanted. That had never happened before and it probably wouldn't ever happen again.

"Sorry if I gave you the wrong idea..." She told Thresh, who was watching her closely. After that whole fiasco, he wasn't sure if he could trust her. Unbuckling her knife belt, she tossed it to the side along with her sword and bow.

"I'm not here to fight. I'm here to offer you a safe haven." She took a few steps forward but Thresh stood up and clutched his club tightly in his hand.

"Stay over there, Twelve!" He warned her and she still held her hands up, showing that she wasn't a threat. She didn't even have any weapons on her, except for the old hunting knife in her boot. But, they didn't know about that one.

"What do you mean 'safe haven'?" Rue asked quietly, tears running down her dark cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and looked up at Shade with big sad eyes. Instantly, the girl's heart melted and she just wanted to reach out and give little Rue a hug.

"I mean that I want you to come with me where we can protect you. Katniss and Peeta will be there. I promise that you'll be safe..." _And you're escaping the arena._ Shade left out, deciding to keep it quiet because the Capitol was probably watching right now.

"Katniss?" The little girl perked up and her brown eyes lightened some. Shade couldn't help but smile and nod. Rue was genuinely excited that she would be able to be back with Katniss. Rue then turned to Thresh, gently resting her hand on his forearm.

"Can we go, Thresh? Can we?" He seemed to ponder this for a moment. He mopped a hand over his face in exhaustion.

"There are plenty of us so we have safety in numbers. We have plenty of food and water. Also, it's pretty fun with Finnick around. It's on the beach. The ocean is pretty nice, too. I guess..." Shade told him all the positives, leaving out the fact that Cato would be there.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" He asked with narrowed eyes and Shade knew he was only being cautious for his sake and Rue's. Slowly raising three fingers to her lips, Shade did the rebellion salute. Looking up, understanding passed between the two older Tributes.

"Alright. Take us to your leader..." He replied quietly, earning a delighted cheer from the little girl at his side. Shade smiled at her antics before stomping out the fire and helping them pack.

However, just as she was picking up her own weapons to leave, Shade glanced up. Thresh's eyes were locked on the tree line. He had a scythe and a club in his hands and his jaw clenched before he forced Rue behind him.

"I don't think we can go with you anymore..." He said rather menacingly and Shade wondered what was wrong. Glancing over her shoulder, her face paled yet at the same time, fury ripped through her.

"No, you can't come with us!" Cato replied coolly from behind her. His arms were crossed over his chest with his lips set in a firm line. Shade's shoulders slumped in exhaustion. This was going to be a long day. She knew that she should have just left him behind, or better yet, she should have tied him to one of the palm trees and made Finnick babysit.

Things would have been so much simpler.

"Was I talking to you, _Two_?" Thresh snapped and Cato pushed off the tree to come and stand by Shade.

"Yeah, I think you were." Cato growled back and Shade turned to him, squeezing his forearm tightly. Thresh watched their silent exchange and narrowed his eyes. They both had black armor on which seemed to be made of the same, shinning material. Putting two and two together, the Tribute's jaw went slack and fell open.

"You're with _him_?!" Thresh turned to her, his voice raising a few octaves in disbelief. He completely dismissed Cato's silent threat. He pointed an accusing finger at Cato and slowly, Shay nodded after sighing. Thresh couldn't believe what he was hearing. Shade was with the District 2 monster. What was she thinking?

"Well, in actuality, he's with me so-"

"But you're still with him?"

"Yeah...?"

"Rue, we're leaving!" Thresh told the little girl at his side but she stepped away from him and closer to the two others.

"I think that it's cute!" She added and Shade was puzzled momentarily. So was Cato. Glancing at one another, then down at Shade's hand that continued to grasp Cato's forearm. The matching armor was also a nice touch. They made a great couple.

At least, that was what Rue thought.

Sensing her implications, both their faces reddened slightly and Shade removed her arm immediately, almost acting as if Cato's arm had burned her. "Uh, we're not, uh-" Both of them stuttered and Rue laughed at their awkwardness.

"Yeah, that's what everyone says!" Rue rolled her eyes and smiled slightly.

Thresh moved to leave but Shade lunged forward, reaching out for him. "Wait, I'm just trying to save you...!" Her voice fell at the last part and she dropped her hand. Thresh turned back to look at her, then Rue, and then Cato.

It was his decision. Go with her and take a risk to survive. Don't go with her and take a second risk of not having enough food for Rue and himself to eat.

Frowning, he shook his head as he made up his mind. He couldn't believe he was being this stupid.

* * *

**There you have it! Another chapter! Woo hoo!**

**Shade and Cato moment. Thought it was pretty funny when she dropped his capsule on his head though. He deserved it after treating like crap at the camp.**

**Also, did anyone catch the bit about the necklace? If things are unclear, they will be explained in the future because Shade will come to ask about it.**

**I hope they make it out of the arena!**

**I'm going through a bit of depression right now. I basically had a whole story written on here. It was going to be a Snow White and the Huntsman fanfic and I had the whole thing uploaded onto the site, ready to post when I felt like it.**

**However, this story has been taking most of my time and I forgot to re-save it, knowing that documents become deleted after 90 days. And so, after 90 days, I forgot to save it once more and my whole story was deleted a couple days ago.**

**It was going to be so good. I was ninety percent done with it. And it was deleted. It was going to be a Huntsman/OC considering I'm not a big fan of Kristen Stuart and I'm in love with Chris Hemsworth.**

**I seriously cried all throughout the night. It was going to be so good. I was so proud of it and now it's gone... Sorry for the sob story, guys...**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	23. Chapter 23

**Third Person's POV**

"I can't believe we're doing this!"

"Yeah, neither can I..." Cato grumbled from beside her. Looking around the smaller form of Shade and Rue, Cato glared at Thresh. Both of the older boys narrowed their eyes at each other. However, Shade had strategically placed herself between the two to keep peace. She somewhat had Thresh's trust but she didn't trust him with Cato.

She was sure they would try to kill each other if she turned her back for more than five seconds.

Noticing her partner glaring at her newest companion, she elbowed him hard in the side. However, it only caused her pain. She cursed quietly and rubbed her tender elbow. _Damn armor._ She growled to herself.

"Cato, play nice!" She told him and he looked down at her. In her liquid hazel pools, he could see that she just wanted to get back to camp in one piece. For what reason, he didn't know. Why had it been so important to get the District 11 tributes?

"Only for you, trouble..." He quietly said before reaching down and linking fingers with Shade. His forearm brushed against her vambrace and the cool leather made him shiver a bit. He noticed her glancing up at the sky, worry on her face. The sky was getting noticeably darker.

Why was she so worried all the time? She knew something that he didn't.

"What's wrong?" He asked her quietly, bending down so his lips were right next to her ear. His warm breath tickled her ear and she turned away from him slightly.

"Nothing. We just need to hurry..." She began walking at at a faster pace and pulled on Cato's hand to get him to move faster. "We aren't going to make it!" She called behind her, making the other two break into a jog to keep up with them.

They had crossed the river a couple minutes ago and Shade listened for the buzz of the portal. However, when she found none she frowned. She also noticed that her fuzzy friend was missing. Bringing her fingers to her lips, she placed them in her mouth and blew.

A high pitched noise came from her mouth in the form of a whistle.

After she finished, they were all silent for a moment. Suddenly, a low howl sounded in the distance and a bright smile flashed over Shade's face.

"This way!" She pulled Cato in another direction. The other two kept up easily and another howl sounded out in the woods. Shade continued to follow the trail of long howls, stopping a few times to howl herself.

When she did this, Cato snorted. She was ridiculous.

When they broke through the thick undergrowth into the clearing, the buzz was very evident now. Shade was pleasantly surprised to find Glitch waiting patiently by the blue orb. There was a fresh reminder of pain from the last encounter with the portal and she winced slightly.

"Alright. We're here..." She replied rather grimly and the other two tributes wondered why she was so unhappy with this random glowing orb. Releasing Cato's hand she stepped back for a moment.

"Wait ten seconds to come through after me. I don't want _that_ to happen again!" She smirked and looked at Cato. He only raised his eyebrows and smirked back.

"I think I wouldn't mind doing _that_ again..." He teased in a suggestive tone and her cheeks burned. Letting out a high pitched yip, Glitch leapt through the portal. His fuzzy form disappeared and Shade waited a few moment so he could get out of the way.

"Remember to wait!" She called over her shoulder and before she knew what was happening, the forest behind her disappeared. Blackness surrounded her before daylight caught her eye.

The falling sensation returned to her stomach. _Here comes the pain..._ She reminded herself as she emerged into the dying sunlight. However, this time she was able to get her feet under her. Rolling forward in a somersault, she ended up on the balls of her feet.

Moments later, Thresh appeared and Shade was glad. She didn't want Cato to fight with Thresh when she wasn't there to break up the fight. She watched as he slammed hard into the ground as well, grunting as he struggled to his feet.

She couldn't help but laugh at him. He continued to groan and hold his head in his hands.

Relief washed over him when Rue emerged through the portal, a bright smile on her face. Just as Shade had, she was able to get her feet beneath her and she didn't even have to roll. She just walked through the portal as if nothing had happened.

Counting to ten, Shade was anxious when Cato didn't come through.

"Where is he?" She asked, looking at the other two. Thresh only shrugged and Rue also looked worried.

"He said he was right behind me when I walked through!"

"Shit!" Shade said before drawing her sword and running back towards the portal. As she was just about to step through, a solid object came flying through the portal. Both of them grunted in pain once more before dropping to the ground.

Shade collapsed to the ground under his weight once again. Her sword went flying from her hands and landed point down in the dirt a few feet away. They didn't bash heads this time, much to Cato's relief. However, he only laid on top of her and laughed while he kept her pinned down.

"You asshole!" She growled from underneath him. She reached a hand up and smacked his chest, her hand stinging because of the black armor covering his chest.

He had only waited because he knew that she would go back to find him. And so, they were in the exact same position as the last time they used the portal. Cato on top of her.

"Cato! Get off!" She yelled and tried shoving him away. He only rested his head on her chest and looked up at her with his sparkling blue eyes. They were full of mischief and he only tickled her sides. She couldn't help but begin to squirm and laugh quietly.

Thresh cleared his throat and the both of them looked up at him. Rue was standing beside him, smiling widely. They _were_ cute together.

"We need to get going..." Shade said as Cato slowly got off her. He took his own sweet time doing it and offered her a hand up. She took it and he yanked up her and she once again slammed into his chest.

Their armor collided with a metallic _clank_ and she beat on his chest to tell him to stop with his flirty bullshit. Now was not the time. He only chuckled slightly before releasing her.

Hearing another metallic beeping noise, Shade looked up. _Another sponsor gift already? Maybe it's for Thresh or Rue. Maybe even Cato. _However, the parachute floated down and landed in her hands. It was a smaller package and there was a 12 on the top.

Pulling off the lid, she reached inside and pulled out a note.

"_I'll have the butcher's special_..." She read off the note to the other tributes. Thresh and Rue only shared a look, wondering what that would mean. Cato also looked puzzled for a moment.

Reaching inside the container, she pulled out a large blade. It gleamed rather evilly in the moonlight and Shade took one look at it and frowned. However, Cato burst out laughing, his voice echoing around the arena. His sides ached so badly, he had to hold his sides and Shade also glared at him.

Looking back to the sky, she was all but seething.

"Is this supposed to be funny or something?" She waved the large butcher's knife around dangerously. Thresh and Rue stepped back in concern for their own safety. She could hear Haymitch laughing once more. He probably thought it was damn funny.

Stuffing the note in her back pack with the others, she also put the knife in her bag. She zipped it back up and slung it back across her back. Cato was still laughing rather loudly and he couldn't help but continue to laugh at the frown on her face.

"I hate you Haymitch!" She called up to the sky and trudged off into the trees, the other three Tributes snickering behind her.

* * *

"Finally we're back!" Shade shouted as they emerged from the tropical tree line. She didn't even care if one of the other tributes heard her. Who would be stupid enough to attack like four tributes and five victors?

The blonde tribute stormed ahead of all the others who followed in her wake.

"_Eww_, it's Shay!" Finnick complained from his seat near the fire. He had raised his voice multiple octaves and it sounded as if his nose had been plugged. He was mocking her and she didn't like it.

"Shut your mouth, Finnick!" She shouted back, causing Cato to chuckle behind her. She was still pissed about the butcher knife. "Let's just hurry up and get this over with!" She continued to walk right through the ring of Victors and to the other tree line.

Well, she was thoroughly pissed.

And the other three Tributes knew exactly why. Cato and Thresh had bickered the whole time. One of them would say something, the other would fire right back with some hateful remark. Then, their tempers would flair and some shoving would occur.

Rue being so little she couldn't really stop the large boys from fighting each other so Shay had to intervene. There had been a lot of threatening involved.

There had also been the incident with the knife. But, now the more she thought about that, it was pretty funny. He wanted her to kill someone with the damn knife. At this point, that could easily be arranged.

She had killed three people already. She didn't really regret killing Glimmer thought. Stupid bitch. She had it coming to her.

The sun was behind the horizon at this time but the sky was still lighted but only barely. Darkness would soon take over completely and Shade just really wanted to escape from the arena. It was time.

Beetee just watched her pass through, his mouth falling open slightly as he watched her. She was a very strange girl.

"W-Wait? Are we really going to do this now?" His voice raised a couple octaves as well and he clutched his wire tightly in his hands. Shade continued to storm off towards the tree line and Finnick noticed something different about her. And Cato too.

"Nice armor! Haymitch buy that to protect the both of you from each other?" He called after Shade and he watched as she froze. He also watched Cato's facial expression for a moment. His blue eyes only sparkled with mischief. "Keep each other from ripping each other's clothes off? You know, they sort of frown upon that in the Games but I've seen it happen-" Finnick's sentence was cut short as Cato put Finnick in a headlock and placed a hand over the Victor's mouth.

It was a good thing that Cato already had Finnick covered because Shade had pulled her sword from her belt, her cheeks blazing red and her eyes as dangerous as the fire that lit the area around them.

"What did you say?" Shade growled, taking a few deadly steps forward.

Cato cried out as a sharp pain flared up his arm. Removing his arm from around Finnick's neck, he pulled his hand back and he inspected the teeth marks on his fingers where Finnick had bit him. The tall brute of a Tribute turned back to the Victor, his blue eyes turning cold.

However, he heard someone laugh quietly behind him. It was a wonderful sound when it met Cato's ears and his face immediately softened. He turned towards the owner of the laugh to see Shade's sword in the ground with her leaning on the hilt like a walking stick. Her nose was scrunched up as she laughed. He had to admit, she looked cute when she was happy. Even though she was laughing at him, he managed to smirk.

He just got her to laugh.

"Oh my gosh! H-He just bit you! You're going to get like-like an STD or something!" She placed a hand over her mouth to try and stop the laughing but failed.

"Yeah, it's not funny though..." Cato looked down to his hand and frowned. He shook it out and as if trying to rid himself of the pain. Maybe he could get this go his way if he played his cards right.

"Oh, poor baby! Want me to look at it? Check for any rare diseases or just plain rabies?" She teased, her eyes shinning with mischief as she held her hand out to Cato. He walked towards her as he still pretended to check his hand yet the pain had faded along time ago.

"And there is more were that came from, big boy!" Finnick winked at Cato, causing his face to pale and his steps quickened until he reached Shade. She pushed him ahead of her and shook her head at Finnick with a smile on her face.

"Shade, are you forgetting something?" Peeta called from behind them. She turned around once more and Cato grumbled under his breath. Peeta was stalling them.

She looked over at the two new tributes and frowned. "Oh, yeah. Uh, this is Rue and Thresh! Take a seat guys..." Shade motioned to the fire and the two slowly complied and sat down in the sand. Rue was already holding tightly to Katniss, their reunion one that could cause even President Snow to smile.

Okay, maybe that was a bit far fetched.

She went back to Cato and continued to lead him away until they reached the edge of the light from the fire. Sitting down in the sand, Shade crossed her legs over one of the other, Cato copying her sitting position so that they were facing each other. She pulled his hand into her lap to inspect his fingers. However, she couldn't even see _any_ teeth marks.

"You're such a girl! Did he even bite you?" She laughed and continued to gently inspect his fingers. Her touch was once again soft and Cato relished in it.

He wondered how her fingers would feel running through his soft hair again or how it would feel to have them splayed across his shoulders as she worked out the tension in his muscles. Oh, it would feel so good.

"-ato are you listening?" His eyes came back into focus and they went directly to her face. He stared at her for a moment before she realized that she was talking once again.

"That bump on your head must have given you a concussion because you just keep spacing out..." She said as she gently squeezed his fingers. He squeezed back but claimed his opportunity.

He leaned forward and buried his face in her neck. "You're right. Make it better, Shay-Shay..." He murmured against her neck. His breath tickled her warm skin and he was careful not to let his lips touch her skin. For now, he would tease her. Releasing his hands, she gently ran her fingers through his hair and found the slight bump in his hairline. Lowering her lips gently onto the bump, she planted a soft kiss on the tender skin.

Cato still nuzzled his face into her neck and eventually, he began to trace her jaw line with his nose. He let his eyes drift shut and he just let his nose roam. Swallowing thickly, he brought his thoughts together.

"My-My fingers kind of hurt, too..." He murmured against her skin and soon felt her lips on his fingers and palm. "My lips are kind of achy..." He heard Shay smile and she snorted slightly.

"Nice try, Cato..." She said quietly before he raised his lips and planted a soft kiss on her jaw. His lips barely touched her skin yet they set her entire body on fire.

"Oh come on... They really hurt!" He kissed her on the hollow of her throat, causing her stomach to flutter uncontrollably. At one point it almost hurt and she finally made up her mind. _It's time to let Peeta go._

Raising her hands up to his face, she captured his face in her hands and turned him towards her ever so gently.

"This is so you know that I trust you..." She said to him and after a moment to pull herself together, she ever so gently placed her lips on his and immediately, Cato's eyes flashed open. She was kissing him. His hands immediately went to her shoulders and pulled her towards him forcefully. He heard her whimper slightly and he remembered that her shoulder wasn't completely healed. He eased up immediately and released her shoulders.

"See, I thought that Haymitch would have been smarter to send you_ lower_ body armor instead of the top half because it would be hard to get into someone's pants with a plate of armor between the two of you. Best type of protection _yet!_" The two lip locked teens stopped and Shade leapt away from Cato. Finnick stood above them with a boyish smirk on his face.

Once again, her cheeks blazed red and she glared up at him.

"What do you want Finnick?" Cato growled, upset that his kiss with Shade had been interrupted. However, the Victor's face face sobered immediately and Shade knew what was coming.

"It's time." He replied rather grimly before Shade nodded and stood up, the nerves in her stomach churning painfully.

* * *

The group made their way up to the designated lightning tree. Apparently every twelve hours, the cycle just restarted and lightning would strike the tropical tree. So now they stood beneath it and watched as Finnick and Beetee wrapped the wire around the trunk of the tree.

"Alright, so now we have to split up. Shade, Johanna, and Katniss will take the wire back down to the beach. Finnick, Peeta, and I will stay behind and man the wire. Rue and Thresh will stay here with us..."

"What about Cato?" Shade asked, catching the Victor off guard.

"Cato will be waiting in the dead zone. That's where we are going to be picked up. Now, when we _do_ what we have to _do_..." Beetee made sure to keep things quiet in case anything else happened. "The power is going to go out in the arena. Meaning, that the cameras _will_ all go off. Now, when they are blind we have to cut out our trackers and place them somewhere in the dead zone because they can still see us that way. However, when we... _do_ what we need to _do_... We're going to be picked up. The remaining people have to get out of there because they will probably get a hover craft in there and _blow up_ the remaining people. You have to try and find a way out of the arena or they'll catch you. Is that clear to everyone?"

"I'm staying with him until they come and pick us up..." Shade interjected, being as stubborn as usual.

"Fine, we don't have much time to be bickering! Thresh and Rue can go with the both of you now. We'll meet you guys there..." He explained and the groups split up. Moving at a fairly rapid pace, Shade led the others through the trees.

All their weapons were drawn, seeing how it was night and they were in the more dangerous part of the forest. Mutations could be anywhere. Shade didn't have any idea what lay in the darkness, seeing as how she had only been on the southern part of the island.

She also wasn't completely sure where the dead zone started but she looked around, trying to recognize any familiar trees or rock formations.

Seeing a tree that she had noticed before, she examined it. It was a single tree but it had two thick arms branching at a perfect 45 degree angle off into different directions. She remembered passing it on her way through with Peeta.

"Now, we just wait..." She told them. It was passed midnight now and Shade could feel her eyes starting to grow heavier. However, she needed to stay awake. She couldn't fall asleep now. She had placed herself on a rock in the dead zone. Cato was beside her and his blue eyes were watching their surroundings carefully.

Bringing her hand up to her arm, Shade undid the vambrace around her wrist and felt the small lump where the tracker had been placed inside her arm. Without warning, she pulled out her hunting knife and began carving out the tracker much to Cato's dismay. Grinding her teeth together, she blocked out the pain and continued to dig around in her arm.

It wasn't before the small blinking tracker fell to the forest floor by her feet. Shade picked it up in her hands. It was slick with blood and she placed it on a log a few feet away from them, all the while, blood steadily dripping down her arm.

Shade was surprised to find that Cato took the knife out of her hand before he wiped it on his pants and began surgery on his own arm. Cato's own face twitched in pain as he dug the tracker from his skin and, with bloody fingers, placed his own flashing device next to her's.

"It may be best for you two to get them out now, just in case..." Cato told them quietly as he took the bag off his back and pulled out the few remaining bandages that he had left over from the whole ordeal with Shade's shoulder. He stepped forward and gently grasped Shade's wrist, his fingers gripping onto the leather vambrace that still hung loosely around her wrist, the black material being stained with blood. He wrapped the white cloth around her forearm and tied it securely in place.

She winced slightly when he tied it but otherwise remained silent.

Thresh helped Rue to remove her own. Tears streamed down the little girl's cheeks but she remained brave as Thresh tossed his into a bush, along with Rue's. Cato also offered them bandages and Shay slipped her knife back into her boot.

Pain flared up her arm whenever she flexed her hand. "Hopefully it won't scar. You're too pretty for scars..." Cato replied quietly, his finger carefully running over the white bandage. She retied the vambrace so that it fight snugly around her wrist.

They were close enough that their arms were brushing and Shay was glad for the comfort. It was nice to have someone to have her back.

"Shut up." She told him just as quietly and he smirked and nudged her with his elbow.

Without warning, footsteps came crashing through the trees. All of them were alert in moments and the three of them forced Rue behind them. Clutching throwing knives in her hands, Shade tensed and waited for the attackers to appear.

She could see shadows coming towards them and her arms tensed to throw the knives. _Come on!_ She hissed in her head to the attackers, egging them on even though she couldn't hear them. A foot appeared in the moonlight and she was just about to extend her arm and throw the sharp knife in her fingers. And then...

"Damn it, Finnick!" Shade growled but dropped her stance all together. The two boys at her side also relaxed and they watched as the others soon joined them. The two Victor stepped into the clearing, clutching his trident in his hand. Peeta also emerged behind them. Everyone was there except for Katniss, Beetee, and Johanna.

"Where are the others?" She asked, still wondering where they could be.

"They'll get picked up by the other hover craft and then it will come find us..." Finnick explained and Shade slipped her knives back into her belt. Rushing forward, she embraced Peeta.

He was alright. He was going to be safe.

"I'm so glad you're safe..." He told her as he also held her back, just as tightly.

"Me too, Pete..." She replied, tears threatening to fall if she spoke anymore. Her hand wound up into his hair and she breathed in deeply. She would never stop loving Peeta. It might just be in a different way now.

And then there was silence. The hole world seemed to stop and hold its breath. Waiting for the storm that was to come.

Without warning, the world around them burst into flames. The sky was alight with fire and pieces of the force field began to fall from the sky. Jumping out of the way, Shade pulled Peeta with her. Where they had been standing, a huge flaming mass of force field fell. It would have crushed, burned, and electrocuted them all at the same time.

That would have been a shitty death.

More pieces began to fall around them and the Tributes and Victors all scurried around to avoid the flaming pieces. A whirling sound suddenly filled the air and when Shade looked up, a bright light caught her off guard.

It blinded her momentarily and she had to raise her hand up to see anything. It was the hover craft. It was actually there.

All around them, the fans from the hover craft blew the fire around them like some sort of fire tornado. There was so much heat inside Shade began to sweat and she had to mop a hand over her forehead. Claws began to reach down and she soon saw Rue and Thresh scooped up.

Good, at least they were safe.

Shade looked around her, eyes wide as she took in all the fire. She didn't know if it was terrifying or if it was awe inspiring.

Finnick was standing in the midst of it all. He finally looked at peace with everything. His bronze hair was set a blaze in the flames and his green eyes appeared to be orange in the firelight. If Shade didn't know that he was a Victor from District 4, she could have sworn that he was some sort of fire god.

A content smile was on his face and he looked over his shoulder at Shade.

"Looks like this is goodbye, sweetcheeks..." He said so quietly that she almost didn't hear him over the roar of the flames. He slowly walked towards her, that mischievous smirk on his face, his trident clutched in his hand.

At that moment, Shade felt her heart melt.

Sure, she detested Finnick to no end but somehow he managed to worm his way into her heart. He was her new best friend now. Well, he was equal to Peeta. Shade loved him, but not like a real love. A true love.

He stepped forward and they embraced each other tightly, his trident pressing into her back. Sure, he teased her about Cato. Sure, he tricked her into kissing him at the training center. Sure, he made dirty jokes when they were trying to fish and every other second they were breathing. But that was why she loved him.

"What do you mean goodbye?" She yelled over the roar of the hover craft and fire.

"Not everyone could leave..." Finnick replied quietly.

"You mean they didn't make room?"

"No."

"Who didn't cut it?" Finnick's eyes dropped to the floor of the forest. "Finnick, who's getting left behind?" He didn't answer but in her heart, Shade already knew. She wasn't hurt though, as some people might be. She was the one being left behind but it was better this way. Now, she could stay with Cato.

"I'll be fine." She promised him, embracing once more. He pushed her shoulders back before taking her face into his hands.

"Alright. Listen up, buttercup. If you don't get out of the arena, which I don't doubt that you will. If you don't, you'll have to lie to the Capitol." His green eyes gazed into her own intently and she nodded to let him know that she heard him. "They will try to get information out of you. Tell them that you didn't know what was happening, tell them that you just went along with it because we pressured you. Don't let them try to change you, Shade! Don't let them do it!" He squeezed her face slightly and he could only begin to imagine what they would do to her if they were caught. "They will try and ruin your life but stay how you are. Never change, little Shay..." He patted her cheek affectionately before bringing her into a hug once again.

Finnick then released her before sniffing as he tried to hold in his emotions. He patted Cato on the shoulder. They made eye contact for a few moments and some odd understanding passed between them.

He then moved on and urged Peeta forward with a good shove. He almost stumbled but Shade caught him, a bright smile lighting her face. Tears fell down her cheeks though. She didn't want to leave Peeta. She didn't want to leave Finnick.

If it made him safe though, Shade was alright with that.

They didn't speak any other words. They just hugged one another tightly. Finnick's relationship with her was different than it was with Peeta. Sure, she could joke around with the both of them but Peeta was like a brother, well maybe not quite.

Finnick was like her dirty best friend who told perverted jokes. But that was why they were friends.

Finally breaking apart, Peeta gently cupped her face in his hands. "Love you, Shay-Shay..." He told her quietly, rubbing her cheeks with his soft thumbs. Tilting her head down, he gently kissed her forehead and she returned it by kissing his cheek.

"I love you too, Pete..." She whispered and stepped back. However, as he was about to step away, she grabbed a hold of the collar of his shirt. Before they left, she had to know where her feelings laid. With Peeta or Cato. She had to know. It was now or never.

She then moved her hands up to cup his cheeks and then without another thought, she brought her lips against his own. It was everything she ever dreamed about when kissing the baker's son. His lips were soft and warm and inviting and they reflected everything that Peeta was. However, he stood rigid and he didn't quite understand what was happening.

But now that Shade had kissed Peeta, she noticed that something was missing. Something that she didn't have with Cato. Now she knew.

Slowly pulling away, she reopened her eyes to see that Peeta's own face was wrinkled with confusion before his own blue eyes opened. But they weren't the blue eyes Shade had come to know so well.

"Cato, get her out of here before they drop it!" Finnick yelled over the roar of the fire. Shade was then yanked away from Peeta, Cato not being gentle at all.

"W-What are you talking about? Drop what?" She yelled back. Without warning Cato scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder. Whatever it was, Shade knew that it wasn't good.

She beat against Cato's back with her fists. She cursed loudly when she struck the armor which caused her fists ache but she didn't let up.

"NO!" She reached out for her two best friends. Despite being confused, Peeta let his blue eyes soften on her distressed form. He didn't know what the kiss meant but he knew that eventually, he would find out. Now was not the right time.

Out of nowhere, a portal just appeared and Cato was carrying Shade towards it.

"Take care of her, Cato..." Peeta called after them, a sad smile came over his face and then he disappeared in a burst of blue light as they stepped through the portal. Cato didn't fall this time but he set Shade down on her feet.

The portal fizzled out of existence and Shade stumbled back into the space where it had just been.

"TAKE ME BACK, CATO! TAKE ME BACK TO THEM!" She screamed at the blonde boy who was standing a few feet away. Tears blurred her eye sight and she angrily wiped them away.

A loud boom sounded, unlike the sounds of the cannon. A sharp wind passed over the arena, knocking the both of them over and onto the ground. Both of them were stunned for a moment before Shade scrambled over to the break between a few trees. Her eyes widened as she took in the mushroom cloud that rose up into the sky.

* * *

**Oh, that was depressing to write. Sorry. Late Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.**

**I'm a terrible person.**

**I thought it would be funny to add in the butcher knife with Haymitch. It will probably happen in the future. Lol.**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	24. Chapter 24

**Third Person's POV**

The both of them watched as the column of smoke rose in the sky. Her body visibly tensed. Her hands shook as they hung by her side. Tears dripped down her cheeks but she stood in complete silence due to the fact that her lip was quivering uncontrollably.

Cato could feel the static in the air. She was about to unload on him. He clenched his jaw in preparation for the shouting to begin. However, she slowly turned around and just looked up at him.

Her hazel eyes leaked woeful tears. His heart softened as he saw the distressed look in them, despite his anger towards her. She had kissed Peeta. She was a traitor.

For a moment, it felt like the tension left the air and he took a small step forward but she held out a hand to stop him. Suddenly, her hazel eyes flashed dangerously as she looked up at him. _Here it comes._ He thought to himself.

"What. Did. You. Do?" She said quietly and he swallowed nervously. He could see her visibly shaking, he was just waiting for her to blow up and spew lava all over him seeing how angry she was becoming.

"I didn't do anything! I was just-"

"CATO, WHAT THE _FUCK_ DID YOU DO?!" She growled and took a few steps forward. Cato held his place, showing her that he was the dominant one here and that he wasn't to be messed with.

"I was just trying to keep you safe! You don't have to yell at me!" He yelled back in a calmer tone than her's had been. She froze once again before stalking up to him so that they were chest to chest, the armor clanking as it touched.

"Take me back to them." She demanded.

"I can't do-" She pounded her small fist upon his chest, interrupting his sentence. The armor absorbed the blow and Shade probably caused more damage to herself than to him. He didn't flinch and his face remained stony as he gazed down at her.

"I said, take me back to them." She was deathly calm as she gazed up into his blue eyes. He slowly reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them gently. She shoved his hands off her, her face set in a scowl.

"Shade, I can't to that!" She shoved away from him and began to walk away towards the place where the smoke was still billowing up from. "Shade!" He called after her and she didn't listen and only continued walking. "HEY, I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

"AND I'M NOT LISTENING!" She called back and he reached out and grasped her wrist tightly. She growled and retched her hand free from his grip. Before he knew what was happening, she pulled her arm back and Cato's head snapped to the side as her hand connected with his cheek. Agonizingly slow, he raised a hand to feel it. He worked his jaw to make sure it was still in working order.

Shade just looked at him with hurt filled eyes before turning away from him. She sprinted away from him and in a fit of rage, he ran after her and tackled her to the ground. She had just made a terrible mistake. She didn't hit Cato.

The two wrestled for a moment as he struggled to hold her down. Putting all his weight on her, he was able to keep her on the ground.

"TAKE ME BACK TO THEM!" She screamed. "TAKE ME BACK TO FINNICK!" She pounded her fists against his solid chest. More tears fell down her cheeks as she pounded against him time after time. "TAKE ME BACK TO PEETA!" She sobbed, her eyes falling shut.

Cato moved his hands from her waist to her wrists. The backside of her hands were already red from all abuse she was forcing onto herself. She was hurting herself and she didn't care.

Cato was lucky that he had been wearing armor or else he knew that his chest would have been completely bruised by the next morning.

She fought back against him, trying to wretch her hands from his grasp. Twisting and turning, she grunted as she struggled to be free but to no avail.

"Please, take me back to them!" She demanded less fiercely this time. Her tugging got weaker as the minutes passed and Cato just sat there, his insides aching as he watched her fall apart in front of him. Despite him being angry with her, it was hard to watch such a strong girl fall apart.

Sobs began to rack her body and she stopped fighting him all together. "Cato, please..." She whimpered before he released her wrists burying her face in her palms. "Please..." She whimpered once more. Pulling her up towards him, he held her to his chest. She leaned heavily on him and he sighed before reaching behind him. He flipped the latches on his armor, knowing that she would want warmth and comfort.

He pushed her back for a moment, wanting to be able to haul the armor over his head. Tossing it to the side, he pulled her back against chest. Her face pressed against his warm shirt, bringing her some sense of comfort.

Reaching around her on both sides, he let his fingers slowly undo the latches on her own armor. He unbuckled it from around her and slowly slipped it off her before he pulled her to his chest once again.

"Please..." She couldn't believe this. Finnick was dead. Peeta was dead. They were both dead. What about the others? Did Katniss make it out alright? They were all dead. Thresh and Rue was safe but the rest of them were gone.

He just let her cry as he held her, surrounding her with his strong arms that made her feel so safe. After the longest time, her sobs died down slightly. She then swallowed and decided to ask the inevitable.

"A-Are they?" She swallowed thickly and her voice was muffled by his muscled chest. His embrace only tightened around him.

"I don't know. They had to have made it out. Finnick's too crafty to die in the arena..." He murmured into her hair before laying a kiss atop her head. He rubbed her arm slightly and he felt her shaking again.

"It's just... It's just..." She struggled to get the words out and Cato only tightened his grip on her. He hushed her and kissed the top of her hair again. The shaking stopped after a short while and Cato bent down to look at her, only to have found that she was asleep in his arms.

Tears continued to wet her cheeks and they leaked from her eyes while she slept. Reaching down, he carefully wiped his large thumb across the dark skin beneath her eyes to rid her cheeks of the salty tears.

Cato could only hope that for her sake her friends had somehow survived. If they did get blown to smithereens, she would be destroyed. If she was so damaged now that she was seeing an evil twin of her own, he didn't even want to think how crazed she would become without her friends to keep the nightmares at bay. She would be the new Annie Cresta.

And so, he could only hold her and try his best to fight off the shadows that threatened to consume her mind. He didn't want her to lose herself. He wanted Shade to be Shade.

Hearing someone coming through the bushes, Cato tensed, ready to defend Shade. He reached down to his belt and was about to withdraw his sword when Glitch suddenly came snorting into the small area.

Cato only deadpanned before relaxing onto his back, slowly bringing Shay with him. He lay back on the slightly damp grass and settled her against his chest. She made a small noise of contentment before resting her cheek against his shoulder.

Glitch grumbled before eyeing the couple wearily. Plodding his way over, Cato watched with interest as the white wolf came to rest on Shade's other side, keeping her back and rear warm.

Cato was surprised that he actually got this close to him. The two didn't like each other but apparently Shade brought the two of them together.

As the sky darkened, Cato's eyes grew heavy and he tightened his grip on Shay, making sure she wasn't going to go anywhere. Glitch snorted through his nose, before resting his head on his paws, his amber eyes ever watchful on the surrounding trees.

Deciding that he could sleep, Cato let his eyes roll back into his head, worries of Shade's well being pushed aside for the couple hours that he could rest peacefully.

* * *

The chirping of birds was the first sound that woke him. He could also feel the sunlight streaming down from between the branches of the tree he was resting by. He moved slightly, still aware that Shade was by his side and he didn't want to wake her. Her hair tickled against his skin and he heard her sigh. Wrapping his arm around her, he found that something was terribly wrong. Shade wasn't this hairy _or_ skinny for that matter.

He could no longer feel her head on his chest and so he opened his eyes as panic swept through him. Stretched out beside him, Glitch was snoring and Cato had his arm secured around the fuzzy beast's slimmer body.

The wolf's feet were stuck straight up in the air as he slept and his limbs would twitch occasionally.

Cato sat up immediately and looked around the clearing, panic rising in his stomach. Shade was nowhere to be seen. Her armor was still discarded to the side, along with her sword and bow.

When Cato had moved, Glitch had snorted and rolled back onto his side, letting his amber eyes remain shut as the Tribute sat there, panicking.

_Shit! Where did she go!?_ He was about to climb to his feet when he looked up higher. He saw a foot hanging down from a branch and relaxed some. She was safe, she was only up in the tree.

Her body was faced away from him as she leaned against the base of the tree. She was looking in the opposite direction, where the mushroom cloud had been those short hours ago and now he realized that she was quietly singing.

_Are you, are you_

_Coming to the tree?_

_Where I told you to run so we'd both be free?_

_Strange things did happen here,_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

_Are you, are you_

_Coming to the tree?_

_Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me._

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

Cato listened intently to the words to the quiet tune before he realized what the song was about. Looking up with wide eyes, he noticed that the rope from her pack was in her hands and she had fashioned a noose from it. Immediately, he rose to his feet.

Shade wasn't a good singer but that didn't stop her from singing the old song that haunted her dreams almost every night. It reminded her of Peeta.

Her eyes were slightly red from all the crying she had done. Her fingers carefully toyed with the rope in her hands as she watched the trees on the other side of the arena. When you looked out onto the hillside, a large scorch mark could be seen. It blackened the land and was left a terrible reminder of what happened last night.

He knew that she knew that he was awake. Her ears were sharp, he knew that from watching her hunt all those days ago. She also probably felt him move about the clearing. She had the nag to do that, sense people's presences when they were around. She was just always so alert so he knew that he wouldn't startle her.

Minutes passed by as he just watched her sit in the tree, her eyes never leaving the opposing hillside. The noose worried him.

"What do we do now?" Her voice was so quiet as she called down to him. Slowly rising, from his place on the ground, he walked over to the base of the tree. He would have given anything to climb up there with her and sit.

So he opted to lean against the trunk underneath her. He pondered her words for a moment, thinking about what they should do next. He hadn't thought about it much since they went through the portal.

"We try to find a way out." He replied back just as quietly. She finally looked down at him, sadness still in her eyes. He directed his eyes away from her and walked back to his armor.

Bending down, he began to strap it against himself once more. They would need to escape. Or, there was always the option of winning the Games but seeing how they assisted in the escape of Tributes and Victors, that wasn't much of an option.

They would have to find their own way out.

"What if they already have the force field back up?" She asked and he froze. What_ if_ they did have the shields back up? Then they couldn't get back out.

"Then I guess we just have to win..." He murmured as he finished clipping his armor around him. The words had once again escaped his mouth before he could stop them. Sliding his sword into his sheath, he turned back around to face her.

"Shay, we gotta get going!" He told her. She just looked away from him before snuggling back more against the tree trunk.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you..." She said quietly, yet he heard the slightly teasing tone underneath the pain and sorrow. Maybe the old Shade lingered somewhere in there.

"Shade. Look. If Peeta and Finnick died, they would want you to get out of the arena without a scratch! If they are alive then I'm sure that they want you to meet up with them where it is safe!" He tried to reason with her. He saw her tense for a moment before he saw the wheels turning behind her hazel eyes. "We can't wait around forever!" He told her once more before slowly walking over the base of the tree.

Leaning against it, he looked up at her and waited for a few moments. However, when he didn't move, he realized that he would have to come at this from a different angle.

"I'm getting old sitting under this tree!" He yelled up to her and he heard her snort slightly. Smiling to himself, his ego only swelled with pride. He got her to show some type of emotion, other than sadness and pure rage. "Shade! Please!" He jutted out his bottom lip and gave her his biggest puppy dog eyes. Glancing over, she saw the rest of her stuff still lying on the ground. Glitch continued to snore from his spot from before, his foot twitching in mid air.

He was surprised to find Shade climbing down at a glacially slow pace with the noose slipped over her arm. When she reached one of the lower branches, she just stood out on the limb and looked down at him.

"Are you going to make me jump or are you going to catch me?" She growled yet it was still teasing. He stood underneath her and held his arms up. "Are you really going to catch me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" He beamed up at her and she only rolled her eyes. Crouching down, she pushed off the wood and after a split second, she was held securely in Cato's strong arms.

"See? Told you I'd catch you..." He said and she placed her arms around his neck so she had a firm grip on him. He carried her back over to her things before giving her a solid kiss on the cheek.

Once her feet touched the ground, she immediately set to work putting her armor on. She didn't need Cato's assistance at this time and she clipped the armor in place. After her weapons were in place as well, she pursed her lips and a high pitch noise escaped.

Glitch shot up immediately, completely alert. He looked directly at them before letting his tongue drop from out of his mouth as he panted. His bushy tail also waved back and forth.

"Okay... So, what do we do?" She asked and he thought for a moment. Cato was surprised to find that she easily slipped back into her strong persona. They needed to try and find out if the force field was up and if it was, they would have to start hunting down Tributes.

"Let's see. If the ocean is that way..." He pointed back towards the blue water that could be seen through the trees. "Then that means that we just have to keep walking in one direction and we'll eventually reach the force field... Ready?" He extended his arm out towards her, holding out his hand.

She glanced at it momentarily before pushing her sadness to the back of her mind and placing her smaller hand in his. Together, they walked away from the large body of water and towards whatever awaited them.

* * *

They walked for what seemed like forever before the duo decided to rest. Shade collapsed onto the soft grass in their new camp, exhausted. It seemed as if the arena went on forever and she was getting tired of it.

"We need food..." Cato reasoned and Shade only looked at him. She felt to comfortable in the grass to move. Her feet hurt from all the walking and she _really_ didn't feel like moving.

"Alright. Go find some." She replied nonchalantly as she looked up at the sky. She placed her hands behind her head and relaxed back further.

Cato only snorted in disbelief. She was really doing this. She was going to make him go and find some source of food. He only shook his head at her antics before he trudged off into the trees to find some food.

Shade had one knee up as she laid on her back, her other leg crossed over it. Her foot bounced as she bit her lip, her eyes closed in relaxation. If she wasn't running for her life at the moment through an arena filled to the brim with an assortment of deadly creatures and people, she would actually be enjoying herself.

Hearing a deep, guttural howl in the distance Shade frowned.

There went the enjoyment.

Shade cursed rather loudly under her breath before she grabbed her things and kicked up grass as she sprinted after Cato. Things were just about to get messy.

"Cato!" She yelled for him. "CATO!" The howling and growling came once more, causing Shade's heart to race more rapidly.

"SHADE?" Cato called back to her, having heard her distressed call in the distance.

"Get your ass up a tree!" She shrieked back at him. He only raised an eyebrow at her order and looked around for a tree with wide branches. Branches that could hold up an ox.

"WHAT?" He yelled back, unsure of what he had heard.

"I said, GET YOUR ASS UP A TREE!" She shrieked at him and she ran through the trees. Cato _had_ correctly heard what she had said. He really needed to find that tree.

Shay could hear the stocky creatures crashing through the trees behind her. Her first occurrence with the wolf mutts came rushing back to her and the panic began to set in once more. She risked a glance back this time and found that these were not the same mutts as before.

These were bigger, stockier, and had longer legs than the last ones had. So they were stronger _and_ faster. That was just plain unfair. Their teeth also looked sharper than the last as well.

Multiple curses continued to run from her mouth as she hurtled over a few fallen logs that were in front of her. The mutts continued to pursue her though but she was getting closer to where she had heard Cato's voice.

Bursting into the clearing, being the graceful creature that she was, she stumbled over her own feet. She face planted into the dirt and she coughed and sputtered until she got the mud out of her mouth. She then heard a snort above her.

Groaning and looking up, Cato stood above her with a smirk on his face. She deadpanned.

"I told you to get up a tree!" She growled at him as she staggered to her feet.

"Why the sudden need to climb up a tree?" Hearing a growl rip through the still air, Cato glanced up. The pack of terrible mutts stood tall and proud beside one another, waiting to strike. Revelation hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Oh... That's why..." He pulled his sword from his belt in preparation for the attack, his eyes never leaving the animals.

"No! There are too many! Haul your ass up the tree and I'll be there in a minute!" She lunged at one of the overly large wolves, catching the beast in the shoulder with her blade. "I'll cover you! Go!"

Cato growled before he placed the blade of his sword in his mouth and he started to climb up the thick tree. He picked his way along the stronger of the branches until he was high enough above the ground. Once he was safe, he sat on his rear and pulled his feet up. Once he was settled, he looked back down at Shay to see her fending off the beasts violently.

They tried biting at her torso but she was protected by the black armor that wrapped around her body.

"I'm up! Come on!" He called down to her, reaching a hand out. She glanced back briefly at the tree before swinging her sword in a wide arc to drive the mutts back who yelped in fear. Quickly sheathing it, Cato was confused when she sprinted in the opposite direction.

She ran towards another tree across the way. Using her momentum, she took a few steps up the base of the tree before propelling herself backward with all the strength she could muster in her legs.

This was what gymnastics were for.

As she planned, her hands grabbed the branch she was aiming for and Shade hung there for a moment. The wolves snapped at her heels and a panicked look came across her face as her shoulder suddenly began to ache. However, a hand had reached down before her eyes.

"You should really stop worrying about others... Take yourself into consideration for once!" Cato's eyes sparkled before she grasped his forearm and he hauled her upward.

They were both secured on the branch and the wolves continued to growl below them. They scratched at the bark on the trees and began to whimper, knowing that they lost their meal.

Cato held Shay to his chest, making sure that they didn't move and fall off the branch. His arms circled around her and both their hearts were beating rapidly because of the adrenaline bumping through their veins.

"This has to be a pretty strong tree to hold your fat ass..." She mumbled and Cato chuckled as they continued to glare down at the wolves.

"Shut up." He warned her before playfully kissing her cheek, causing her to blush. It was odd how they were joking around when their death was literally snapping at their heels.

Just then, they heard a weird mechanical sound.

Shade frowned and looked around for the noise. Something glimmered and caught her eye from the inside of a knot on the tree. She heard the odd mechanical buzzing sound again and looked more at the knot. Inside, she saw the lens of a camera move and it shuttered as it focused more on her face.

"The cameras are back on!" She whispered in disbelief. "Fuck!"

"What?" Cato asked, once more unsure if he heard her correctly. Shay frowned and glared at him.

"You need freaking hearing aids..." She teased, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

"What did you say?" He teased once more and she rolled her eyes.

"I SAID, the cameras are back on." She finished quietly before turning to look at Cato with a certain fondness in her eyes.

"So... That must mean that the force fields are back up."

"We can't escape." Shade mumbled, fear suddenly flooding into her hazel eyes.

"We can't get out!" Cato said, his eyes almost mirroring Shade's scared look. She couldn't believe it though as she looked into his twilight blue eyes. Cato was never scared. Shit was getting serious if Cato was scared.

"Then, we have to win." Realization hit her and she grew silent after her statement.

"And win we shall..." Cato said as he placed his hands on either side of her face, forcing her hazel eyes to stare into his blue ones. Shade could only swallow nervously before she nodded slowly.

Despite her kissing Peeta, Cato still wanted Shade. He still wanted to kiss her, hold her, comfort her. Just be there for her. And she would be there for him.

Slowly pulling her face towards his, Cato carefully placed his lips on hers, knowing that what lay ahead would be dangerous and most likely, only one of them would survive. Yet, he wouldn't let that happen.

* * *

**Well, there you go! It feels as though I haven't updated in forever. Literally, forever.**

**I've really been pumping out chapters on my final edition of my LotRs story and its coming along well. I already have forty reviews for that story with only six chapters! That's awesome!**

**But, I want to set a goal. I want this story to not be beaten by my LotRs!**

**I mean, I love it and everything but this story already has twenty four chapters with only fifty some reviews... Come on guys!**

**I want at least seventy for this story! At least (meaning by the end)! I'm not sure if I'll write a Mockingjay story. I'm ashamed to say that I have written this story and haven't read the third book.**

**I just don't want to read it because it will be the last first time I get to read it and I want it to be special!**

**That doesn't make any sense.**

**Sometimes when I write these things I feel as though I have multiple personalities. Lol.**

**Anyway, review por favor!**

**Love,**

**Blue**

**(I was rambling, again).**


	25. Chapter 25

**Third Person's POV**

"How long do you think they'll stay down there?"

"Don't know. Their mutated super wolves. They can probably produce their own food if they had to..." Shade snorted at that thought as she lay back against his chest.

"What?" Cato's blue eyes sparkled as he looked down at her.

"It's just the thought of giant wolves cooking supper at a stove..." She smirked and waited for his reaction. His lips only twitched up momentarily before he looked away and shook his head.

"You're crazy, you know that?"

"You aren't telling me anything new..." She said as if it were a matter of fact as if she really had really known. "I'm still hungry." Shade grumbled as she leaned her head back on Cato's chest. She was lying between his legs again in a similar fashion like when they were in the cave. One of his large hands was behind his head, serving as a pillow while the other was tangled in her soft hair.

The wolves continued to snap at their heels below them. They had been going at it for about an hour. The tall creatures continued to circle the base of the tree, waiting for their prey to move.

"Me too..." Cato said, his voice calm as he glanced down at the wolves.

"Do you have any food in your bag?" She asked as she swung her own down from the branch above them. Unzipping the black bag, she sat up and withdrew the butcher's knife, sinking the blade deeply into the wood beside her, inches from Cato's leg. He didn't seem too worried about it.

Reaching a hand into the bottom of her bag, she pulled the warm blanket out. She also brought the crumpled notes out from the bottom of the bag where she had kept them all. Tossing them to Cato, he held the clump in his hands.

Shade continued to dig through the contents of her bag, finding a small role of wire and and her flint, along with the rope that had been a noose earlier that morning. Now it was just rope.

As Cato watched her rummage through her things, he glanced down at the pile in his hands. He only looked for a moment but he still managed to see it. There was something on the back of one of the notes. At first thought, Cato thought that the back of the notes were empty. But on further inspection, he found that _all_ the notes had something on the back.

A single letter was on each piece of paper.

"Shade..." She basically had her entire head inside the back pack. He heard her grunt in response as she continued to look for any signs of food in her bag. "Shade!" Cato's eyes scanned the notes.

"What?" She snapped from inside the bag.

"Look at this!" He held out the straightened notes. She removed her head from the bag and looked at him. Her bun was a frazzled mess on the top of her head. He held his hand out and showed her. Confusion wrote itself across her face.

"E, B, R, E, L?" She looked up at him. He nodded, a slight smirk on his face. "What does it even mean?"

"I think its a message."

"From who?"

"I think it's from Haymitch..." Cato told her quietly.

"Those letters don't even make up a word!" She all but yelled. The wolves continued to snap at their feet but they were ignored for the moment.

"Well, you have to move them around!" Cato told her as he laid the notes down on the wood and began moving them around. The both of them were stumped for a few moments before she finally put the letters together.

"Rebel?" Cato asked, now the one who was confused.

"No, _rebel_..." Shade said it the other way that the word could be said. "Haymitch wants us to rebel!"

"It could go either way! Plus, how are we supposed to rebel?" Shade thought Cato's question over. How _were_ they supposed to rebel?

Things were gonna get very confusing in the next couple of days. However, reality hit Shade like a bus and she about fell from the tree limb but Cato had a tight grip on her. Looking over at Cato, she stared into his twilight blue eyes. His beautiful blue eyes.

She knew the exact way that they could rebel.

"We already have been this whole time..." She looked up into his eyes once more. Meeting his gaze evenly, she suddenly looked away. Looking up towards the sky, her eyebrows furrowed slightly in thought.

Raising her hand up, she pressed her three fingers to her lips before pointing them out towards the sky where cameras were watching. Cato watched with confusion.

Shade suddenly turned towards Cato before she reached out and grabbed Cato behind the head. Bringing his face to hers, she pressed her lips against his a bit forcefully. His blue eyes opened completely in surprise before he let them slowly shut in contentment.

Two people from the two different districts. Kissing and sticking together through all the chaos. It was exactly like rebelling. Districts just didn't get along in the real world. But hey. This was the Hunger Games.

And Shade and Cato certainly cared about one another.

* * *

Shade shivered as the cold wind hit her. She snuggled closer to the warm lump at her side. The wind picked up once more before she finally opened her eyes. Why was it so cold?

She got an answer when her eyes watched as the snow fell down around her. It was collecting on both of their bodies. Cato had draped his jacket and their blanket over them but it still wasn't enough.

Slipping her own jacket on, Shade prodded Cato in the side. He let out a quiet grunt before turning his head to the other side. After poking him again, Cato finally opened his eyes before he lazily looked at her.

With his large body mass, he had stayed warm the whole time.

His eyes focused on the falling snow around them and he frowned. Glancing down, he found that the wolves were also gone. It was a bit of relief knowing that they could at least get out of the tree if they had to.

Hunger rumbled in both their stomachs, food calling out to them. Shade reached into her jacket pocket and pulled the wool cap out of her pocket before pulling it over her ears.

After stuffing everything back into their bags, Shade decided that they should get down. They had to eat sometime.

Dropping down and out of the tree, they both sunk down into the deep snow. It went up to Shay's knees and she grumbled as she pushed her way through the thick snow. Cato only followed after her, letting Shade lead the way. It wasn't like Cato hadn't seen snow before.

They had mountains in District 2 and Cato was a teenage boy. When you put those two things together, what do you get? Mountain climbing. In fact, Cato had climbed them all and for survival training, the Academy would sometimes take the different classes out and teach them to survive in a mountainous arena.

As they moved about the now white woods, they heard a quiet noise. Both stopped walking for a moment to listen. At first Shade thought it was another mutt but after listening more closely, it definitely wasn't a wolf mutt.

It sounded like a quiet sobbing or maybe even choking.

Both moved to approach the noise, still weary of the part of the arena they were in. The wolves still lingered about yet they hadn't seen any tracks in the snow so far. Slowly coming through the trees, the sight before them made both their hearts wrench.

Lying on top of the thick layer of snow, slightly sunken in, was Marvel. His dark hair contrasted against the pale snow and his eyes were wide as they came into view. Red also attracted Shade's eye and she took in the scarlet color that stained the snow beside him.

Marvel was clutching at his side and his face was contorted in pain as he tried to move away from them.

"Marvel!" Cato said quietly before walking through the snow to stand beside the boy. Upon hearing his name, the District 1 Tribute seemed to relax at the familiar face of his friend.

Shade also approached, Marvel watching her with careful eyes.

"I-I'm d-dying, Cato..." He stammered, the cold seeping into his limbs. He had no jacket on and seemed as though he had entered this piece of the arena only a couple minutes ago, an hour at the most.

Shay noticed that his skin was paler and with every second that passed, it seemed to match the paleness of the snow around him.

Feeling sympathetic for the boy, Shade took the pack off her back. Reaching inside, she pulled out the blanket they had used and laid it over him, trying to keep the dying Tribute warm.

Cato knelt down next to his friend, the only real person he had talked to in the Games, besides Clove. Wondering about the smaller girl, Cato glanced around. There were two other sets of foot prints in the snow. One seemed to walk away from Marvel, the other seemed to mingle with the steps Marvel had taken.

"What happened?" Shade asked quietly, also noticing the tracks. She stood and kept watch now that Marvel was covered. She didn't want someone sneaking up on them while they were distracted.

Marvel swallowed thickly, biting back his pain so he could speak. The slice on his side was huge and Shade would bet anything that his hand was the only thing holding his internal organs inside.

"K-Kaz..." He spat venomously and she was surprised at how much hate the dying boy could but into his words. "You have to s-save Clove..." Cato's ears perked at the name.

"He's with Clove?" Cato asked Marvel who weakly nodded. Shade and Cato shared a look for a moment before she nodded and Cato bounded away with his sword in hand. She remained with the dark haired Tribute.

Shade slowly sat down by him. He was still a Career and she wouldn't doubt that he might try to kill her before he actually died.

Reaching from under the blanket, Marvel gripped her warm hand with his icy cold one. Moving over, she sat closer to him, telling him she wouldn't leave him to be alone. He seemed to relax slightly at her gesture before he started breathing more deeply, trying to conserve his energy.

"You're really pretty..." He managed to weakly mumble out. Shade looked down at him, surprise in her eyes. "Oh don't look so surprised!" He weakly teased and it made Shay sad to see him trying to cheer her up even as he died. "If it hadn't been for that stupid b-b-b-bitch, I would have r-rocked your world!" He weakly told her, a slight smirk on his face.

"Why did you like Glimmer anyway?" Shade asked quietly as she stroked his dark hair. She could feel him weakening with every second that ticked by. He only laughed weakly before staring off into space.

"She was great in the sack..!" Shade rolled her eyes but nonetheless smiled.

"Well, I think you would have had to duke it out with Cato over who got me..." She tried to joke around with him. After a moment, Marvel laughed a full and healthy laugh before sinking back painfully on the snow with a hiss.

"When it came to you, I'm pretty sure I could have beaten him..." He continued to chuckle as he lay back, his breathing growing shallower and his eyelids growing heavier. "Cato's a pussy..." The boy laughed again until he suddenly stilled. Shade felt his hand go slack in her grip and his chest stopped moving.

_Boom. _

A cannon sounded off in the distance and with a sad ache in her heart, Shade slowly closed his eyes and placed his hand back on his chest. Placing his spear back into his cold palm, she had watched every year that when a Career died, they always kept a hold of their weapons.

However much she told herself, she believed that Marvel was never a killer in the first place. It was just forced onto him. There was no way that this happy and joking teenage boy was meant to be a ruthless killer.

The Games had to stop. The world needed more Marvels in it.

Standing up, Shade moved off after Cato's tracks. After a few minutes of walking, she noticed that the snow grew shallower as she continued along and eventually, the ground under her feet turned to solid earth once more. Cato's tracks were suddenly swallowed up by the ground.

Shade was usually able to track animals but he just seemed to disappear into thin air. She frowned as she tried to follow his nonexistent trail and eventually lost him entirely.

Suddenly, everything seemed to fall silent. The birds ceased their singing and Shade tensed when she heard the silence. It was too unnatural.

A loud scream suddenly broke out to her left. Flinching, she quickly withdrew her sword and prepared for a fight. Her hazel eyes darted around the area. The person who was being killed would not stop screaming. Their pain filled cries continued to ring out clearly in the forest.

But what terrified her the most was that the voice was familiar.

"Finnick!" She cried as she bolted off in the direction of the screaming. He was being tortured. Sliding to a halt on the slippery foliage, her eyes quickly scanned around the clearing. There was no one in sight and she began to panic.

Another cry of agony came from behind her and she turned around.

"Peeta..." She breathed before she was about to take off once again. However, Finnick screamed again and she had to stop. The screaming continued until a few more screams joined them. Pain clenched around her heart and she could not decide which way to run. She knew exactly who was screaming.

Finnick. Peeta. Katniss. Gale. Her father. Her mother. Cam. Samuel.

"STOP!" She screamed through gritted teeth. Falling to her knees, she collapsed onto the damp ground with her hands clamped over her ears. Even through the flesh of her hands, she could hear their terrible screams echoing around her. Gritting her teeth, she just lay on the ground, trying to block them out.

_Shade. _

Her eyes burst open at the voice that was so familiar to her. The screaming stopped almost immediately and she dropped her hands from her ears.

"Shade..." The voice came from no direction in particular. Her brows pulled together in warning as she frowned and pulled a throwing knife from her belt.

"No." Shade murmured as her eyes scanned her surroundings for the person that continued to haunt her. Where was Cato when she needed him? He had promised that he would protect Shade from H_er_.

She slowly came from behind a tree from across the clearing. She was pristine and perfect as She had been every time Shade had seen Her. In Her hand, She carried a sword that was an exact replica of the one Shade had.

"I thought I'd told you to stay away from me!" She growled but the girl across the way only snickered at her.

"Cato isn't here to protect you now!" She said the obvious and it was strange how brave Shade suddenly felt. Gripping her own sword tightly in her hand, her other fingers held the throwing knife.

"I don't need Cato to protect me... I can take care of myself!"

"Yes but what happens when you can't protect yourself from yourself...?" She tried to reason and Shade's brows drew together in confusion. Just as Shay was about to run at her, she heard a scream, one that made her blood run icy cold.

"_SHADE_!" Her head snapped to the side as she heard Cato screaming. Completely forgetting the terror before her, Shade took off running in the direction of his voice. Terror swept through her as her feet pounded against the ground. Feeling as though she was running the fastest she had ever ran, Shade probably set a new record of some sort.

"CATO!" She called to him as she neared the screaming voice. He continued to cry out in pain as if someone were pulling him apart of skinning him alive. Terrible images of a battered and bloodied Cato sprang into her head, causing her legs to move faster.

She could hear the sound of waves crashing on the shore once more. Cato's screaming was just ahead of her now and she burst through the treeline, the sand burning her eyes as it reflected the sun's rays.

"Cato?" She could only make out one blurry form as the haze from the heat began to cloud her vision. Walking towards it, she used her hand to get the sun out of her eyes.

However, as she drew closer to the figure, she froze.

"Where is Cato?" She snapped as she locked eyes with the man standing only a few feet away from her. Brutus only smiled before laughing darkly.

"Obviously, he's not here!"

"No shit!" She snapped, feeling suddenly brave as she stood before the huge Career Victor. Adrenaline coursed rapidly through her veins as she contained herself. She just wanted to rip his throat out and feed it to the wolf mutts. He was one of the people that she wouldn't feel sorry for killing. He was a _monster_.

"You don't get it, do you?" He began to pace back and forth, successfully keeping her sharp eyes trained on him. She clutched the sword tightly in her right hand, causing the vambrace to squeal under the added stress.

"Don't get what?" She asked and he froze in his sudden pacing. He beamed evilly at her once again before clasped his hands behind his back.

"You're the bait!" He replied calmly. Taking a moment to process what he said, her eyes widened. Quick as a whip, a hand grabbed her hand in a painful way. She cried out as the nerve pinched and she dropped the sword in her palm.

She had lost her throwing knife long ago when she had first encountered her doppelganger. She now only had a few small knives left but her hand could not reach them. The person's other arm wrapped tightly around her neck, drawing Shade back against the second person's chest. She breathed painfully as the man began to constrict her wind pipe.

"Hello, girly!" Gloss's sickly sweet voice filled her ear. Scowling slightly, she felt panic begin to rise in her chest once again. She had to get away or Gloss would kill her. Not a swift death but one with a lot of pain and suffering. Maybe something worse.

"W-Why are you d-doing this?" She managed to cough out as Gloss squeezed her neck.

"Cato is strong... One of the strongest in the entire arena. If we wanted to win, we..." He motioned between him and Gloss. "Would have to find a weakness that Cato had, seeing as I was his mentor, I made sure that he had none. Except, he has one now..." Shade raised an eyebrow at his remark. "You!" He motioned to her with both of his hands.

"Call him..." Gloss demanded, tightening the grip on her throat. She remained silent in her fight against the two Career Victors. His grip tightened around her neck again, making it painful.

"I can't... Call him when I can't breath...!" She gasped and Gloss growled from behind her. Slowly lessening the grip around her neck, she felt air rush into her lungs again. She knew that her next actions would be regretful later. She also hoped Cato was a fast runner.

Slamming her skull into the blonde's nose, he cried out. Blood sprayed from his nose and it dripped down his face as he held the broken appendage. His arm left from around her neck and she began running, only to be tackled by the same man after he regained his bearings.

"You little bitch!" He growled as he snatched her around the neck again. Grabbing a handful of her hair, he hauled her up to her feet and she whimpered. Her smaller hands dug into his skin and wrist as she tried to get free.

"Gloss, I know how we can get her to talk..." A slow smile spread across Brutus's lips again which caused Shade to begin to panic. She had to get away from them. The Victor came closer to her and stripped the bag off her back. He began to riffle through her bag until he seemed to find what he wanted.

The butcher's knife gleamed in the harsh sunlight and it reflected into her eyes. Struggling in Gloss's grip, she continued to try and get away from the man who had a tight grip on her hair.

Forcing her on the ground, Gloss used his weight to hold the younger girl down. Really wishing that she was stronger, Shade couldn't move beneath the large man. Both men forced her left hand out before her and Brutus raised the gleaming knife into the air.

Swiftly bringing it down, the blade sliced into her index finger with a sickening crunch. She felt the scream beginning to build in her throat and her eyes watered. She was amazed at how she could keep quiet but she was able to change the scream into words.

"CATO! RUN!" Her voice echoed around the arena. Brutus growled in anger before bringing the blade down again into her middle finger. The man didn't cut the fingers off at the knuckle but left small stubs where her fingers had once been.

A real, high pitched scream erupted from her throat this time, reverberating around the whole arena. Both men exchanged crazed smiles. They knew that the blonde haired tribute would have heard her scream of pain. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

**A few minutes before Shade heard the jabberjays...**

Hearing a cough from a clearing a few feet away, Cato turned his head to the side. Cautiously stepping around the tree blocking his view, he found one of the most terrible sights that he had ever beheld.

"Clove!" He cried as he instantly dropped to the girl's side. Blood had dripped from her mouth and her shirt was covered in blood. She had her hands covering the wound on her stomach. Noticing what was causing her pain, Cato moved her hands out of the way.

Seeing how bad the wound was, Cato winced as he placed his own hands over her wound. "I'm so sorry, Clove..." His voice trembled slightly. Clove was his partner and when you train at the Academy every day with them, you get attached. No matter how much of an asshole they are.

All Cato knew in his life was how to protect. Whether it be protecting himself or protecting the ones he loved, Cato just did as he was taught. And he hadn't protected Clove.

"It's alright, Cato. We both knew that it would end this way..." She smiled slightly, her teeth stained red with her own blood. Encircling her hand with his larger, bloody one, he smiled weakly.

"I never thought it would." He admitted. Clove laughed painfully at his words, a slight bitterness added to it.

"You're turning into a pussy...!" She told him with another smirk. The smirk that he had grown used to after training with her for so many years.

"I-I know..." He admitted quietly as he continued to hold her hand. "I'm sorry about everything, Clove..."

"Don't be!" She told him. "Listen, I want you to win... I want you to win with that girl..."

"Shade?" She nodded and he could feel her beginning to fade. It wouldn't be much longer now.

"And kill that little bastard!" She told him as she winced, her breathing becoming shallower. Shutting her eyes in pain, she groaned slightly as she adjusted the position in which she was lying.

"I'll get him, Clove! I promise I'll get him!" He stroked her dark hair as her eyes fluttered uncontrollably.

"Don't leave, Cato... Don't..." Her eyes had opened only the slightest, revealing the dark green irises underneath her eyelids. Her lips continued to move without noise before they stopped moving all together.

"Clove?" Cato croaked. She didn't respond and he knew that she was gone. "Clove, no!" He murmured as he felt tears begin to sting at the back of his eyes. She had been with him for most of his life. She was a sister to him and now she was gone. _How many more people would have to die before these Games would stop? _He thought to himself.

"I didn't mean to..." Cato heard a small voice from behind him. Turning slowly, he already knew who the voice belonged to.

"Kaz!" He hissed, venom lining his voice.

"I didn't mean to kill her!" He squealed as Cato turned on the younger Tribute.

"You didn't mean to kill her!? You can't just accidentally kill someone!" Cato growled as red began to fill his eyes. He could feel himself being lost in his rage. He was just so angry. He was going to kill this boy. It was inevitable.

"I... I just wanted to win!" Kaz squeaked, his eyes lowering to the ground.

"No matter who they proclaim as Victor, no one wins in the Hunger Games..." Cato's tone was cold before he stepped forward and mercilessly killed the District 12 Tribute. As he kicked the boy off his blade, Cato felt the red begin to fade.

Clove was avenged. She could rest in peace now knowing that her killer was also out of the Games.

Just as he was about to turn to leave and leave the two bodies, he heard a scream. A terrible, pain filled scream that could not be copied or replicated by any type of machinery. It sounded around the entire arena and Cato's eyes drew to the location. It wasn't all that far away.

"_SHADE_!"

* * *

**Well, that took forever to write. I've been focusing on my Lord of the Rings story as of late and I would just like to clarify some things.**

**Anon reviewer: Shade is Sue-ish. I'll admit that. But, she isn't perfect at everything. She can't use a bow (very well), she can't sing and she can't really dance. Most of the people from Disctirct 12 were slim because of the lack of food. However, just because someone is from 12 means that they can't be pretty? Katniss is pretty.**

**She can be friends with Katniss and Peeta. I find it absolutely logical that she can be. Shade was kind of a loner herself and Peeta's family owned a backery just down the street from the butcher shop. They traded goods with one another. **

**Cato doesn't fall in love with her at first sight. Sure, she's kind of pretty but he's not hopelessly in love with her. I mean, he saw her at the tribute parade and she looked stunning for the sponsors. **

**Finnick is only messing around by trying to get in her head. He still loves Annie, as explained in one of the later chapters. Peeta is not in love with her, he is still in love with Katniss. They are just like brother and sister (even though Shade wishes they had been more). **

**Haymitch only likes her because she listened to his phsycological problems when he would drunkley order meat in the middle of the night. **

**Also, Haymitch did not buy a mutt. Glitch was placed into the system by Plutarch because he wants her to help Katniss in the Games. Because, of course, she is the Mockingjay and is a sign of the rebellion. Glitch only trusts Shade so easily because that was how he was programed. **

**Thank you for the review but I'm just trying to defend my tribute. **

**And I would like to thank all the others who also reviewed. You guys are awesome. **

**Love, **

**Blue**


	26. Chapter 26

**Third Person's POV**

Blade in hand, Cato raced through the forest in the direction the scream had come from. His Tribute instincts had immediately kicked in and he made sure to pinpoint the direction as if it were second nature to him.

His blue eyes blazed with determination. This would be it. This would be the last battle. He knew that it was Brutus and Gloss. They had Shade. Cato would make sure that this would be the last battle. He was getting tired of playing all these stupid games.

Hearing and seeing the beach just ahead of him, Cato slowed his pace to a walk. Out on the sand, there was one blurry form from what he could see. That was not good.

"Damn it, Shade..." He whispered as he moved silently through the dark shadows of the trees. Keeping his bag across his back, he sighed. This needed to end. Now.

Gripping the blade tightly in his hand, his fingers noticed the teeth marks from the mutts in last years games. That's right. They had given him the same sword. Apparently the Gamemakers thought it was only fitting to have the same blade.

Looking down at the permanent indentions, he frowned. They were a nice reminder of what the Gamemakers could do if things went wrong. If the Games didn't go as they planned.

However, they were also a nice reminder of who he was.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out into the sunlight and instantly his scalp was warmed from the intense sunlight. It only took a minute for his eyes to adjust but he continued to proceed out onto the beach.

Once he was close enough to see the once singular blurry form, he stopped as it separated.

"Cato boy! Glad you finally decided to show up!" Gloss said with delight as he had a handful of Shay's long hair wrapped around his hand. He also had the girl pulled up against his chest.

There was a crazed look in his eyes and he suddenly pressed a violent and sloppy kiss to Shade's temple as a show that she was his.

Cato felt a growl rise in his throat. Shade was his. The alpha male in him was suddenly awakening and he was out for blood. She was always going to be his.

Her hands were secured behind her back but Cato could see the pool of blood forming around her feet. She was hurt. Another growl arose. No one hurt his Shade. She was his woman.

Cato's eyes merely blazed as all sorts of scenarios filled his head. Mind racing, he was trying to figure out how things would be going down. Deciding to take a different route, Cato ignored the two Victors completely and looked at Shade.

"Shay..." Her hazel eye opened to look at him. The other was swollen shut from being beaten and her chest was heaving as she tried to breath properly. "Are you alright?" The blonde girl looked confused for a moment before she nodded her head as best she could, seeing how Gloss had a good hold on her head.

At hearing how eerily calm Cato's voice was, Brutus frowned.

"You think you're going to come out of this, don't you?" The bald man looked at his Tribute and smiled sinisterly. "The both of you...?" He raised an eyebrow as he looked between the two tributes.

"Yeah, pretty much." Cato replied confidently, knowing that to be one of the lessons that they had taught him at the academy. Always show that you are confident if you are stuck in bad situations. He twirled his sword in his hand, a slight smirk turning up the corners of his mouth.

"Always were the cockiest little bastard..." Brutus chuckled to himself and began to pace back and forth.

"I'm tired of all this jabbering, I think we should kill them both now!" Gloss said as he pulled Shade's hair harder, causing her head to jerk back even more. She hissed in pain but kept any other noises of pain under control.

"Shade!" Cato commanded her attention suddenly, catching all three of the other people off guard. She simply looked at him again with her swollen eye. Smiling slightly, Cato inclined his head and Shade received his silent message.

Fight.

Swallowing, she nodded her head, knowing exactly what to do. Throwing her head back, her skull connected with Gloss's nose, again. A headache instantly formed at the back of her skull but she ignored it.

The Victor cried out in pain and released his hold on Shay. He gripped his already broken appendage and cried out again. Turning around in front of him, Shade balled up her fist and it connected solidly with his face.

"_You_!" Brutus growled as he watched things occur. Diving into the sand, Shade was able to grasp her discarded blade and she grasped it tightly in her hands. Using his own blade, Brutus swung at her but she hastily rolled to the side to avoid it.

Her head was swimming with blood loss from her fingers and the pain continuously radiated up her arm. Still, she pressed on.

One time, when she was little, she had been playing with some of her father's knives. Accidentally, she had cut her pinky. Deep. Almost to the point that it was completely severed. She had been rushed to the doctor and had it reattached. The pain was still the same. With or without fingers, Shade continued to cringe whenever she tightened her grip on her sword.

Rolling up onto the balls of her feet, she leapt away from Brutus's blade again. Running away, Gloss now tried to reach her with his spear. However, Cato kept the other Victor at bay.

Brutus, however, had other ideas. Attacking Cato while Shay was preoccupied, Brutus charged after the male Tribute.

"CATO!" Shade cried and he ducked just in time. Now being occupied with Brutus, he left Gloss open. Feeling brave, she went after Cashmere's brother, wanting to go two for two on the twins. _Oh, God._ She _was_ a Career.

Using her speed, Shade ducked under Gloss's wild swing. His spear sunk into the soft sand, taking him with it. Taking this opportunity, Shade also took a swing at him but he pulled his spear free. Seeing that she was off balance, he stabbed at her middle with his weapon.

Luckily, the black armor from Haymitch saved her.

Gloss growled in anger and stabbed at her head, only for his spear to sink into the ground again.

Shade then swung at him but he was able to intercept her blow and grasped her smaller forearm in his large hand and he started to squeeze. Thanks to the vambrace, the thumb that was being pushed into her her tracker wound was not being made deeper. Again, she thanked Haymitch.

Balling his hand up, Gloss's fist crunched as it connected with her temple and she flew away from him. Crying out in pain as she landed hard on the ground, she felt more blood run down her face from where he had punched her.

Gloss stood up and laughed, completely enjoying this final battle. Seeing something reflect in the sun, he glanced over and found the bloody butcher's knife lying in the sand where they had left it.

As he strode over to retrieve it, a smaller body knocked into him, causing them both to fall to the ground.

Shade was luckily on top of the Victor but both their hands continued to reach for the dirty knife. Grunting and cursing as they worked for the weapon, Shade was able to reach that much further. As her hand came to wrap around the black handle, she kneed Gloss in the privates.

He cried out in pain once more and he rolled off of her, freeing her completely.

Rising up onto her knees, she quickly straddled his arm but he continued to pound upon her back. She was now thankful for the armor. Feeling revenge overcome her, she looked at the bloody stumps of what remained of her fingers.

"Revenge is best served cold, bitch! Haymitch?!" She called up to the sky, hoping that her mentor would be watching. Gloss continued to struggle. "You wanted the butcher's special?! I'll give you the _fucking_ special!" Quickly bringing the blade down, she smiled as Gloss cried out just as she had. Cutting cleanly through his thick wrist, his hand lay severed in the now scarlet sand.

Using what strength he had left, Gloss kicked her off of him again and she flew off into the sand. Her head connected with a stone and she felt her eyes roll back into her skull for a moment.

"MY FUCKING HAND!" Gloss cried as he rolled around a bit in the sand, grasping the bleeding appendage. Now, he climbed to his feet, staggering as he looked at the bloody stump where his hand should have been.

Suddenly, Cato cried out from wherever he was at which was able to draw Shade from her nearly unconscious state. Her one good eye slowly opened and she saw him stagger back as Brutus had cut him deeply in the side. Blood poured across his hands and he glanced back momentarily at Shade to see if she was faring just fine.

Seeing that she was, he turned back around to face his old mentor. His old friend. Or, who he believed to be his old friend. Now, he was the enemy. Just another contender.

"To be honest, I've always wanted to fight you, Cato." Brutus grinned as he twirled his sword in his hand. Cato simply laughed before shaking his head.

"You're going to regret those words!" At some point, Brutus had gotten Cato's armor off of him. Shade had no idea how.

Gloss was now up on his feet and was staggering around like he was drunk. "Oh little Shay!" He called in a creepy sing-song voice. Hazel eye frantically searching for the butcher's knife, she couldn't find it buried in the sand.

Her fingers dug through the fine grains and she felt and watched as Gloss's shadow covered her. Suddenly feeling metal beneath her fingers, she brushed the sand away and wrapped her hand around the black hilt.

Turning to face her attacker, he had been bending down to grab her and she swung the blade. With a loud and impossible crunch, the once silver blade sunk deep into his skull, right across the bridge of his nose, making a perfect diagonal across his face.

Blood poured from his mouth down onto her and she grimaced upon feeling the warm liquid upon her.

With a groan, his sightless blue eyes stared at her as his body collapsed on top of her. She let out a quiet shriek before quickly shoving the huge Victor off her. Panting heavily, Shade couldn't comprehend that she had just killed another. Shade hadn't killed Gloss. No, S_he_ did.

_Boom_.

Gloss's cannon went off.

Shade allowed _Her_ to do it. Because she wasn't strong enough without _Her_. She would have to be strong enough without Her now. Once they were out of the arena, Shade wouldn't need Her anymore.

Sitting up she looked around and saw that Cato was still battling with Brutus, both their blades locked together.

Pushing his tribute away, Brutus swung wildly at Cato who was able to dodge the sword. Shade watched the fight continue on and panic began to set it. What if Cato didn't win?

_Help him..._

Without protesting or giving it another thought, Shade picked her other discarded sword and began walking towards the two men. As she reached them, Brutus had his back to her and she raised her sword to swing but he apparently heard her and moved.

Nearly taking Cato's head off, she stepped back as Brutus tried to plunge his own blade into her, only for the blade to scrape off her black armor. Now that the Victor was dealing with two known-to-be-deadly Tributes, he began to panic a bit.

Growling as he kicked her in the guts, he took another swipe at Cato. It appeared as though the blade barely even touched skin before Brutus was running off down the beach.

Feeling something cool at her side where her hand rested, she looked down. Seeing the singular black blade left in its holster, she fingered the handle for a moment. She recognized it as the blade that Clove had first thrown at her when she had been stuck up in a tree with Kaz.

Seeing Brutus running off into the distance, she also glanced down at her hand that was still throbbing. The blood continued to drip down her fingers and she knew that if she didn't receive medical attention soon, she would die from blood loss. She wouldn't survive for much longer in the arena. And she knew it.

Also looking to Cato, she could see pain in his blue eyes. His eyes flashed down to her knife belt, noticing the familiar black knife that had once belonged to his District partner. He slowly nodded his head, signalling for her to end it. If he got much further, there was a good chance that she would miss.

"Do it, Shade..." Cato whispered, his eyes now on Brutus. Judging the distance, she pulled the knife free before she cranked her arm back and readied herself. Steadying her breathing, her hazel eye focused on the bald man sprinting away from the two of them.

Feeling the cool metal of the blade against her hand, she turned it over once.

Releasing her breath, she flung her arm forward so fast it was almost a blur. The black blade twisted over itself in the air. Everything happened in slow motion. Both their eyes traced the blade as it flew through the air.

Shade's breathing was shaky. Cato couldn't breath at all.

The blade seemed to be swallowed by the sun the further it got away and at first, Shade had sworn she had missed. Then, it happened.

Brutus stumbled.

He fell to the ground but the Tributes could still tell that he was moving.

Hearing a cry of pain, Shade looked over and watched as Cato sunk into the sand, his hand clutching his stomach. He collapsed onto his hands, both stained red and he groaned in pain.

"Cato!" She cried as she rushed to his side. He simply held a bloody hand out, wanting her to stay back. The scene caused her breath to catch in her throat. It was part of her nightmares.

"I'm fine, Shay!" He insisted through gritted teeth. She could easily tell that he was lying and she wanted to help him. "Help me up!" He now held his hand out to her. He reached out and grasped his bloody blade with his equally bloody hand. Eyes flashing with concern, Shade held her hand out to him and he took it.

Hauling him to his feet with what little strength she had left, Cato hissed with pain before almost falling back over. She helped to steady him on his feet and his body mass was heavy as he leaned against her.

She simply embraced him for a moment, the blood from his stomach turning the once black armor on her stomach red. He simply smiled down at her for a moment before his hand reached up and gently cupped her dirty cheek, his blood coating the skin there.

As she looked up into his eyes, she could see something different in the blue sapphires. Cato wasn't entirely Cato at the moment. He was too serious for the Cato she had come to know. However, a small smile quirked at his lips before he pushed away from her and began to stumble towards the barely moving form of Brutus. _It must be the blood loss.._. She told herself.

"What are you doing?" She asked quietly, her voice hoarse from the screaming she had done when the Victors had cut her fingers off.

"I... I have to end this..." Cato mumbled before he began to stumble once more. Rushing forward, she was able to catch him but with her own blood loss, she swayed a bit as well.

"No! No you don't!" She told him as they both struggled to stay standing. However, she was fairing much better than he was, seeing how he had two huge gashes on his stomach.

"Why not?" He said weakly, his eyes looking away from her and at the crawling figure of Brutus.

"Cause... Cause I'll end it..." She swallowed. Noticing her blade glimmering in the sand a few feet away, she turned to look at it and Cato noticed this. Just as she was about to turn away, she felt Cato's hand close around her wrist.

Looking back at him, she looked up at him in confusion as he pressed the handle of his sword into her palm.

"Your sword?" She asked quietly, still looking up at him.

"My sword..." He replied with a smug smirk on his face. He absently ran his hand over her swollen cheek once more, a slight smile on his face. With a nervous swallow, Shade's eyes lit with a new fire.

Hobbling towards Brutus, she could see the knife sticking from his back, just below the base of his neck. He was trying to crawl away from her and as she approached, she felt her vision began to blur more.

"That's right, finish me off..." He mumbled over his shoulder at her. Clutching Cato's sword tightly in her hand, she turned it over a few times to comfort herself. Simply looking down at the man, she felt her blood begin to boil.

He stopped crawling and looked over his shoulder at her. Her face was washed out by the bright sun and he had to hold his hand up to block out its bright rays. She was simply staring down at him with her eyes blazing.

"What are you just going to stand there?" She was silent as she stared down at him. Blood continued to drip down her fingers and with every drop, she knew that she was getting closer to death.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." She croaked out in a hoarse voice. Brutus only raised an eyebrow in her direction before he let out a humorless, crazed laugh.

"You're sorry?! What kind of a Victor is ever sorry for winning?!" He continued to chuckle, the blood loss starting to affect him, along with the heat of the sun. Shade had to look away for a moment, pity clouding her eyes for the man below her. _He's a monster!_ She continued to tell herself.

_But what makes him so different from you?_

The voice in the back of her mind told her and Shade hesitated for a moment. The bad thing was that the voice was right._ I need to end this..._ She reminded herself before snapping to attention._ Brutus kills people for the fun of it. I kill to survive._

"I'm not a Victor..." She said, her voice eerily calm. Her face hardened once more as she raised Cato's sword above her head, posed and ready to strike. Their eyes connected momentarily. "I'm. A. Tribute."

Seeing no remorse in her eyes, Brutus didn't even have time to cry out for mercy before his death met him when the sharp blade cut into his neck.

_Boom._

The loud blast reverberated around the now silent arena. It seemed as though even the sound of the waves beating on the beach had stopped. Retching the sword free with a sickening crunch, Shade didn't even flinch as she gripped the blade in her hand.

Wearily turning back to face Cato, she noticed that he had been limping towards her during the whole ordeal. He now only stood a few feet away with his hand clutching his bleeding side and stomach.

"It's over..." She mumbled in disbelief.

Feeling as though the weight of the world was now off her shoulders, she released a deep sigh. Willing her feet to move, she trudged through the sand, not looking up. Her forehead soon met a solid chest and upon connecting, she closed her eye entirely.

His arms slowly came to close around her, neither of them carrying about the blood anymore. Cato also rested his cheek on the top of her head. They simply stood their together, waiting for the announcement that would end the Games.

"Cato. They aren't saying anything..." Shade said quietly after a few minutes. In all actuality, there had been no announcement that their could be two Victors. For all they knew, the Capitol could be waiting for one of them to bleed out. Both had began to wobble slightly on their feet from the blood loss. He didn't say anything as he held her. "Cato?"

"They'll say something, Shade..." He reassured her quietly, his hand smoothing down her matted hair. "They better say something..." Waiting a few more minutes, the two blondes simply stood there, waiting.

Again, they didn't say anything.

_Are you, are you_

_Coming to the tree?_

_Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me._

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree._

An idea suddenly struck Shade and she carefully pushed away from Cato. She began to hobble back to where her discarded bow and quiver lay. Her back pack also had its contents spilled across the sand and she winced when she bent down and picked the rope up from the ground.

"Shade, what are you doing?" Cato asked weakly, his eyes settling on the rope in her hand.

"Trust me." She replied, her hazel eyes blazing with determination. Something flashed in his eyes for a minute before he began hobbling back towards her. By some unknown force and sheer will power, they made it back to the coverage of the trees.

Passing by it earlier, Shade had found a ravine. There was a tree with a thick branch that overhung the drop off and Shade swallowed nervously.

"Shay, I still don't understand..." Cato said when they came to the edge of the cliff. She never said anything and instead, the blonde Tribute watched as the girl began to slowly tie a knot. Not one knot. Two. On opposing ends.

"_Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me_..." She said as she pressed the bloody rope into his hand and then he understood. It was from the song. The Hanging Tree.

Taking her end, Shade tossed it over the limb. With a new anger inside of him against the Capitol, Cato looked up towards the sky, a look of defiance on his face. His twilight eyes blazed.

He slipped the noose over his head, his feet near the edge of the cliff.

Once the rope was situated, Shade slowly slipped her own noose over her head. Turning to look up at Cato, tears threatened to spill over the rims of her eyes. She blinked and a few did spill before Cato stepped forward and hastily wiped them away. Bending his head down, he carefully pressed his lips against her own and he could feel the saltiness of new tears on his cheeks.

They weren't his own.

"Ready?" He whispered against her lips. He felt her head nod as her nose brushed against his own and they stepped apart. Cato looked down into the ravine. It was deep and he took a deep breath, knowing that his death lay before him.

"Before we go..." Cato's eyes darted back to Shade. She smiled at him. "I don't regret anything that we've done in the arena..."

"Neither do I." He replied back and Shade stepped up to the edge. "Shade!" She looked back to him, his twilight blue eyes capturing her own hazel gaze. "I'm so glad I met you..." Her lips slowly pulled back into a smile.

They both fell into silence and stepped up to the edge of the cliff. Both of them simultaneously swallowed before Cato reached out and grasped Shade's right hand. "One."

"Two." She held her breath, waiting.

"Th-"

"_STOP_!" The two of them were about to step off the cliff and both of them teetered for a bit. They suddenly fell backwards to unsure their safety and they lay on the ground, their chests heaving from the near death experience they just had. This was the first announcement of this Hunger Games.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen_..." A voice echoed around the arena. Shade's eye burst open and she looked up at Cato who was looking over at her. "_May I present the winners of the 75th annual Hunger Games and the Quarter Quell_..." Sighing with relief, Shade instantly wrapped her hands around Cato's torso, clutching him tightly to her.

Shade couldn't help the sense of accomplishment wash over her. The Capitol couldn't _not_ have a Victor. Somebody had to win. And if there had to be two winners then so be it.

"We did it..." She whispered, looking up into his eyes with a relief filled smile on her face.

"We did it!" Cato repeated her words before he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. It wasn't long before the hover craft came and they were prompted to grab onto the ladder. Cato forced her to go first and made sure that she was secure before climbing up after her.

They were soon hauled up into the hovercraft and instantly, men rushed towards Shade and grabbed her.

"Shade!" Cato called as he watched a thick needle get jabbed into her neck. He fought against the men to get to her and make sure that she was alright. However, he was soon stopped as he felt a pinch in his own neck.

Shade was dropped onto a stretcher and her eyes lazily gazed up at the ceiling, her body trying to fight the drugs in her system. She felt her senses begin to dull and every time she blinked, her eyes would grow heavier.

The pain from all her wounds began to fade and she began to enter a state of fuzzy bliss. However, a sudden and terrible thought entered her head.

They had helped the other Tributes and Victors from the arena. They helped Katniss to escape. The Mockingjay. They had destroyed their own trackers. They had almost hung themselves. They had rebelled against the Capitol in every possible way.

So, now that they were in the Capitol's hands, what was going to happen to them?

* * *

**Dun dun duhhhhh! What's going to happen next? Is this the end or should I make another chapter? Or should I make a one-shot with the final chapter? **

**I'm not really sure but I'm excited. This chapter was intense. I just got back from watching Olympus Has Fallen and I'm still running on adrenaline! It was pretty great! I recommend going to see it!**

**Also, review please! I love you all so tell me what you think about what I should do!**

**Hey, I've updated this whole story so you may have noticed that some things are different. I definitely made this chapter long by adding in the suicide bit. I just thought it would fit in nicely with the Hanging Tree song. The whole time I was writing the ending scene I was listening to it. **

**My favorite has to be The Hanging Tree by Adrisaurus on YouTube. Seriously go watch it. It's beautiful. **

**Thank you so much! And please review!**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	27. Chapter 27

**Shade's POV**

The first thing that I noticed was the silence. The unforgiving silence. Nothing but silence. Except there was the incessant buzzing noise coming from the light fixture above me.

My body felt oddly perfect. I didn't feel any pain. The aches from before had vanished. The undeniable thirst that had so often filled my throat was nonexistent. My stomach didn't rumble.

The phantom pains in my severed fingers also vanished. In fact, I could move them. They felt the cold table below them and I carefully cracked my eyes open.

My large pupils burned upon seeing the dazzling white light before me. I hissed and brought my hand up to shield my eyes, noticing the fingers that were in place where they always should have been. No scars littered my skin and I quickly raised my other hand to look at my other fingers. Which hand had its fingers removed again?

I couldn't remember. My skin offered me no clues either.

Lowering my hands back down, I sat up and looked around the room. The pristine white walls glared back at me and I almost sneered at the sight. It was too clean. There was absolutely no color. The only color in the room was that of my tan skin and golden hair.

Something felt wrong in this room. Looking around, my eyes easily caught sight of the black security camera watching me from the corner of my room. Also, there was a wall completely made out black glass.

"Hello?" I said quietly. No one answered. I simply let out a loud sigh before throwing my legs over the side of the steel table. I stood up, my legs a bit shaky from not using them.

I cautiously walked up to the glass and tapped on it. It was thick.

I could faintly see my own reflection staring back at me and I frowned. Someone was on the other side of the glass. I could feel it. Actually, a bunch of someones were watching me.

The room was just cold. Unwelcoming. Nothing like the Capitol should have been. I didn't like it.

* * *

Days must have passed by the time I actually saw another life form. Or maybe it was minutes. It sure felt like it was forever.

An Avox entered my room and I was sitting in the corner of my room facing the door. Two Peacekeepers escorted the woman inside and she sat a tray of food down. A steak and mashed potatoes with a side of green beans. The three people left just as quickly as they came and as soon as they were out the door, I was across the room and staring down at the food.

I knew that it had something wrong with it. It must be poisoned or laced with drugs. I didn't eat it.

The meat was cold and had begun to smell when they came back to get it. So you can imagine how hungry I was. The same Avox came back with more food and she began talking away the old food when I shot up from the corner.

"Hey, wait!" The girl in red froze and slowly turned back around to face me. "How am I supposed to know it isn't poisoned or something?"

As soon as the words came from my mouth a Peacekeeper came into the room. Ripping a leg off the chicken the Avox brought me, the man took a bite before walking out the door, the leg still gripped in his hand.

The Avox turned back to me with her large eyes gleaming. I only nodded slowly before she turned and left, leaving me alone with the whole chicken. Well, the chicken minus a leg.

* * *

I had been sitting in the corner of my room with my legs up to my chest with my arms crossed on top of my knees. I had shamelessly finished the entire chicken. My forehead was then rested on my forearms. Maybe I could sleep now.

_Shade._

My eyes flashed open and I waited a moment. Yes, I had just heard that. Raising my head up from my arms, my eyes immediately found the color change. She was seated on the cold silver table where I had woken up.

Twirling her, _our_, golden hair in her fingers, she beamed back at me. She was dressed in my original arena gear yet she had no weapons. That was a relief.

"What do you want?" She didn't say anything. She just sat there and smiled at me. "What?"

"You can't talk to me or they'll think you're crazy..." She pointed up at the security camera. I frowned.

"Why did you come?" I talked to her anyway, completely ignoring the fact of what she had just told me. I didn't give a shit. I needed answers.

"You needed someone to keep you company!" She said as she slid off the table and began walking towards me. I simply narrowed my eyes on her approaching form, my hand tightening to a fist.

"Stay over there or I'll kill you." I warned. She only laughed at me, her laugh sounding oddly enough like my own and I frowned again.

"Really? You would _really_ have the guts to kill me?" I didn't say anything and she took that as a yes. "Oh, Shay-Shay! Looks like someone's growing up! Looks like you don't need Cato anymore! He can just leave you!"

"SHUT UP!" I screamed at her. She just laughed a never ending laugh. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" I placed my hands over my ears and closed my eyes. I don't know how long I sat like that but then I felt someone touch me. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" I screamed and when I opened my eyes to find a Peacekeeper standing before me.

Then it was dark.

* * *

When I woke up again, I was lying back on the silver table. My eyesight was fuzzy and I really had to focus on the bright light before me so that I could slip back into consciousness. The Capitol had drugged me.

After the drugs wore off, I was immediately up in my room, pacing back and forth. Alright. I wasn't going crazy. But I needed information. I needed to know something. I didn't like this whole being kept in the dark thing.

But then I realized that I needed to get my shit together. Sitting back down on table, I let my head fall into my hands. Alright, time to think.

1. I needed to lie. I needed to lie to protect my friends. They couldn't know about what Finnick had said to me. I had always been a good liar so this part would be easy for me.

2. I needed to keep my cool. No freaking out again. I didn't need drugs in my system. They would slow me down.

3. I needed to watch my back. I'm sure Snow was out for my blood after the little stunt I had pulled in the arena with the rope.

4. Where was Cato? He better be safe.

5. When was I going to get out of here?

6. I needed to gather information. And I knew just how I was going to get it.

* * *

Seated on the silver bed, I sat with my head in my hands. They would be coming in any minute now.

The first man: stronger than the second, left handed, dark hair, had a beard. Second man: smaller than the first, right handed, dark hair, green eyes. Avox: girl, wears red, has black hair, large eyes.

The only signs of life I had witnessed so far.

When the door to my room hissed open, I jumped up and stood off to the side of the door. I had been biding my time for awhile now. I had been studying, if you could call it that.

And now it was time for the exam.

The first Peacekeeper entered and I quickly reached down to the gun in the holster on his left leg, grabbing the weapon with my left hand. The first man didn't react quick enough and I snatched up his gun before I rammed my right elbow into his nose. The man cried out and it was only a second before the gun was in my right hand and my left arm was snaked around his neck, ripping his helmet off. The white gun was pressed against his temple.

"FREEZE!" The other commanded, throwing the Avox girl out of the way and pointing his own gun at me. The man in my grasp struggled but my hazel eyes glared daggers at the other man. "I SAID FREEZE!"

"Does it look like I'm moving?" I said from behind the taller man who was rasping out for air because of the choke hold I had on him. The three of us were silent for a moment. "Alright. Now that's we're settled and I have a hostage, I'm going to ask you a few questions..."

He didn't say anything.

"Alright. First question! What day is it?" He answer. My fuse was already growing short and I had only asked one question. "WHAT DAY IS IT!?" The other Peacekeeper flinched and so did the one in my grasp.

"W-Wednesday!"

"Thank you!" I adjusted my grip on the first man. "Second question! How long have I been in this room?"

"Two days."

"BULLSHIT!" I yelled, knowing that it was at least four. Maybe five. Pushing seven. I didn't have a watch or anything. The meals didn't even give me a clue. They didn't serve breakfast. Just hardy meat and some sort of vegetable. It was probably so I could gain some weight back.

"I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ASK ME!" The second Peacekeeper yelled.

"Yes you do!" I increased my grip on the first man.

"Why? Are you going to shoot him? You probably don't know how to use a gun!"

"Standard Capitol issued Handgun." I waved the weapon around, using the first man as a human shield. "All Peacekeepers are issued one. And when I say all Peacekeepers I mean a_ll Peacekeepers_..." A faint smile pulled back my lips. Cam had let me toy around with his gun a bit. It was against the law but he still let me do it. I slowly pulled the hammer back which meant that the gun was ready to fire. "So, you're really going to gamble on the fact that I might not be able to handle a simple pistol?" I pointed the white gun back at the first man's head.

The other man only swallowed. "You've been hear for five days..."

"Just sleeping and eating?" He nodded. "Alright. Three questions left. There are people behind that black glass?" I nodded in the direction of the reflective wall. He nodded. "Alright. Where is the other Victor?"

"Mr. Hadley?" I nodded. "He's safe..." It was my turn to nod but I tightened my grip on the other man's throat. He coughed and I could tell that he was teetering on unconsciousness.

"Last question..." I pushed the gun harder against the man's temple. The other man shifted nervously but still held his own pistol at me. "How much longer is it going to be before I can see him?"

The man hesitated in answering. "N-Not long." My eyes flashed to his own pair before I sighed.

"Alright. Now here's how this is going to work. I'm going to put his gun back in his holster..." I slowly transferred the gun into my left hand and put his gun back. "And I'm going to let him go..." I slowly released the bigger man who stepped away from me. "And you aren't going to shoot me! See? No one died and everybody wins!"

I was relieved when he slowly lowered his gun back down to his side.

"She can bring my food in..." I pointed to the Avox girl and she quickly scuttled in and placed my tray of food onto the silver bed. There was still tension in the air. "See? That wasn't so hard was it? You can leave now..." I waved them off and walked over to my bed to eat the pork chop she fed me.

It only took another moment before the room emptied and the door hissed shut. I only knew it was a matter of time before they came and got me again. Except, I was sure that there would be hell to pay in the immediate or far future.

* * *

And I was right.

Only one other meal passed before two different Peacekeepers came into my room and grabbed a hold of my arms before leading me outside the room. Not liking how they were treating me, I quickly pulled my arms from their grips, the men clad in white only sending me harsh glares before leaving me to just walk on my own. The two escorted me down the hall until I was led into a dressing room.

I could hear the bolt on the door slide into place as I was left to myself in the lone chair. A few minutes passed before a new stylist and her team stepped inside with me.

She didn't give me her name. None of the team members talked to me. They simply stripped the clothes from my body and began pulling on my hair.

An hour or two later, I didn't look like Shay any more. I looked fake and plastic. I didn't look like me. I wanted to look like me. I wasn't a piece in their games. I never would be.

I would just have to show the Capitol that I wasn't.

It was why I had liked Cinna. He didn't make me look fake. He simply helped me to be the beautiful girl that I was. I wondered where he was at.

However, there was something that remained from my time in the arena. My wolf necklace was once again a pendant on a choker that was clasped around my neck. It made everything feel so real.

A loud gasp escaped my throat when the woman tying up my dress nearly cut clean through my stomach with the ribbon she had secured there. I fell forward and grasped my stomach in pain. I would surely suffocate if she made it any tighter.

"Chin up..." She finally murmured before placing a solid slap on my rear, causing me to jolt to attention once more. "You've got people to impress..."

I was seriously tempted to tell her that I did what I wanted but decided against that and stepped into my shoes that she had placed before me. If the tight ribbon around my waist didn't kill me, I was sure that the heels would. They would also make escaping nearly impossible. Like I would get far in making an escape.

My stylist then escorted me to the door and when it was opened, four more Peacekeepers were revealed to me. I didn't recognize any of them. I didn't greet them with any sort of warmth. I hated them.

I was then led down another long hallway. I was also led onto an elevator and we went down a number of floors until it stopped on the ground floor.

Stepping out of the elevator, I was then led to, from what I could tell, the area behind a stage. I then realized that I would soon be pushed onto stage and shoved into an interview. Great. Just great.

"And now, let's give a warm Capitol welcome to the lovely female Victor this year, Shade Matson!" I could hear Caesar's voice call out and the stage hand pushed me forward, my feet nearly tripping over the other as my heels almost killed me.

The bronze dress that I was wearing shimmered in the lights that shone down onto the stage. It was short for my standards, stopping at me knees, unlike the long flowy dresses I had worn before. It was one shouldered and left most of my back exposed.

Conjuring up the biggest smile I could muster, I waved to the large crowd of people that were watching. Caesar held his hand out to me and I walked forward and took a hold of it. Together we stood in the center of the stage, our hands raised together. The applause was almost deafening and I had forgotten what it was like to be civil with people.

After the applause died down, Caesar released my hand so that I could sit down in my designated seat which seemed to be overly large compared to the blue host's.

"Well, well, well! Aren't you looking beautiful on this fine day!" He complimented and I couldn't help but smile and blush.

"Thank you, Caesar! You're looking pretty dapper yourself!" I beamed and the crowd cheered and clapped as well. My hands folded themselves in my lap, my hazel eyes gazing out over the huge crowd of people. There were so many of them. I wondered what they thought of me. Did they think me a monster? Was I a murderer?

"How have you been since coming out of the arena?" I sighed before answering his question.

"I've... never felt better!" I lied. Hardly anyone had even spoken to me. The Capitol staff treated me like I was dirt or some sort of monster.

"Well, that's wonderful to hear!" He smiled at me. "Now, Shade..." He scooted forward in his seat to talk to me. "People have been calling you the Queen of the Games after your beautiful performance in the Tribute Parade!"

"Oh, really?" I raised a playful eyebrow before leaning back in my seat. The blue man nodded and laughed.

"Yes, you were very lovely! So, does that make automatically Cato, King of the Games?" He asked. I snorted before a grin tugged at my lips.

"Of course not! Every Queen needs servants!" I replied back and the crowd roared in laughter. I winced slightly but managed to keep the large smile on my face.

"So funny! No wonder everyone loves you!" The host patted my knee with a huge grin on his face. "Well, not that that's settled, let's bring out our second Victor, Cato Hadley!" The crowd once again erupted into cheers and applause but I quietly sat in my seat, looking over the back of it to see the approaching Victor. I nearly swallowed my tongue when I saw him.

This was only the second person that I had recognized since I had woken up. Caesar was the first.

It was also as if Cato's eyes were drawn to me. He didn't even glance at the crowd. He only tore his eyes away from my form so that he could shake Caesar's hand.

He was dressed in a black suit with a simple white shirt on underneath, a few of the buttons undone so that the Capitol got to peer at the Victor's chest. He also had a wolf pendant dangling from his neck.

The crowd seemed to notice the sudden emotions between Cato and I and stopped cheering so that it was silent. Silent as the grave.

Standing up, I slightly adjusted my dress and simply stood, frozen in place. Hazel contrasted against blue and I felt my insides churn. Twilight blue. The last time I had seen them, we were in the hover craft.

"Cato?" I whispered quietly, my voice barely even registering. He took a few careful steps forward until we were almost touching. My head barely had to tilt back to look up at him.

"Shade..." His voice was just as quiet as mine had been except his warm fingers came up to carefully touch my cheek as if he couldn't believe that I was really there. A sly grin pulled at his lips before he lowered his head so that our lips connected in a warm embrace. It was odd kissing in public but I guess that it was the same thing considering we had kissed in front of the cameras multiple times. Deepening the kiss, Cato wrapped his strong arms around me before slightly pulling me off the ground, leaving my heels dangling.

I could hear the crowd whoop and cheer at our romantic actions but I didn't care. I felt safe now that I was in Cato's arms. I was with my protector. Things would be better.

"Aww... Isn't that adorable, folks?" Caesar said, effectively causing the two of us to pull our lips apart. Cato still held me in his arms and he carefully lowered me back to the ground, his hands hot on my skin. However, his arms soon dropped but his hand caught my own and he led me over to the cushioned seat which I now understood why it was so large. Cato sat down heavily, nearly drawing me onto his lap but instead, I seated myself on the cushion beside him and he quickly drew me into his side.

Once the three of us were seated comfortably, Caesar looked back to the two of us, a wide smile on his face. "You two sure are the cutest couple I've ever seen! Don't you think so?" The crowd started clapping and cheering again, causing my cheeks to flush. I looked to Cato who simply smirked at me before leaning forward and kissing my forehead. It soon quieted down and Cato leaned back in the chair and his hand moved onto my bare knee.

"So, I think everyone noticed right away from the beginning that there was some serious chemistry between the two of you. Tell me, Cato, what were you thinking the very first time you saw Shade when you watched the Reaping on TV?"

Cato laughed and smiled at the cameras. "She wasn't really anything special at first. She was just another person that stood in the way of my victory..." The crowd was dead silent as Cato said this. Maybe that wasn't the best answer.

"And what about at the Tribute Parade?" A wide grin pulled at the Victor's lips as he turned to look down at me.

"The moody girl from District 12 turned into the most beautiful woman I had ever seen..." The crowd let out an 'aww' as Cato then took a few of my curls between his fingers and pulled them over my shoulder as a sign of pure affection.

"What did you think of Cato, Shade?"

"Honestly, I was terrified of him!" The people laughed at my answer. Cato took on a look of smugness and I had to resist the urge to slap him on the cheek.

"And what do you think of him now?"

"Well..." I looked over at Cato before putting an innocent look upon my face. Scooting away from Cato, I leaned towards Caesar. "I'm still terrified!" I hid my mouth from Cato with my hand. The host roared in laughter, as did the crowd and I joined in as well. I looked back over at Cato who raised an eyebrow at me before smirking again, his fingers trailing down my bare back, along my spine, causing a wave of shivers to suddenly silence me.

"Really?"

"I'm only kidding, Caesar!" I smiled before leaning back slightly, Cato's hand still feeling as though it were burning a hole in my skin.

"Cato?"

"She should be terrified of me..." Cato said in a deeper tone, a predatory gleam in his eye as he scooted closer to me, his hand coming behind my back to rest on my hip. The crowd simply laughed again but I couldn't find it in myself to do so. The Cato sitting beside me had a dark air about him and I knew that if I wasn't careful, I would pay for my mouthiness in _another_ way later on.

"Oh, how I love your relationship!" Caesar beamed at the both of us. "You two kind of have a love/hate relationship don't you?"

"More love than hate, I think!" I said quietly, remembering to play this couple card correctly.

"Well, why don't we just see about that!" Suddenly, the lights on the stage grew dim and behind us, a large screen began playing the highlights from the Games.

It showed both Cato and I at the Cornucopia, standing on the platforms in the water. It also showed the clock counting down and had a split screen with the both of us on it. When it got to zero, the cannon fired and I watched as I didn't hesitate to dive into the water and began to swim towards the shore. Cato, however, did hesitate slightly, as if checking who was around him before he set his sights on the large horn before him.

When I reached shore, it showed Finnick and I conversing after he killed that other Victor to protect me. My heart clenched in my chest. Finnick.

It then showed me ruthlessly killing Blight. I flinched a bit and had to look away for a moment. Cato must have felt my discomfort and brought me closer to him. However, I wasn't very surprised when Cato easily cut down two other Tributes who had died the very first day last year as well.

Kaz and I were sprinting away from the Cornucopia. It showed Cato coming after me but I was heading towards the southern part of the island.

Then the camera changed and showed Kaz and I up in the tree and it also revealed that the Careers had made camp under us that very night, only a few minutes after I had fallen asleep. That pissed me off. I hadn't even heard them. The next morning, it showed Kaz's stupidity as he joined the Careers because of Clove's sly ways. Then it showed the wolves and everything until Glitch showed up which caused a smile to pull at my lips.

I wonder what happened to him, that damn wolf. I silently reached up and touched the pendant on my neck.

The screen flashed to show a montage of of the other tributes. Thresh and Rue camping near the river. The Careers taking over the other Cornucopia. The Victors relaxing on the beach, doing nothing for days.

It then showed me standing in the river with my homemade spear in my hand. _Oh no..._ I groaned internally and let my head into my free hand. The crowd then broke out into laughter as I completely drenched myself in water for the small reward of a few fish.

Cato laughed beside me, his blue eyes sparkling down at me. He was making fun of me.

It then showed the fire and how I got burnt. Cato flinched beside me when I began screaming in pain. It also showed the Careers being chased by the flames and Cato being caught in the fire as well.

Then our faithful meeting. Both of us were hurt. Then there was when I punched his bad leg. The crowd laughed again and Cato squeezed my knee almost as a silent threat. He was still angry about that.

I was surprised when it skipped the part where I freaked out. Apparently the Capitol didn't need to know about their insane Victor. They didn't want another Annie Cresta.

It just jumped to when we were in the cave and I got Haymitch's sponsor gift. The firewood, hot chocolate, and towel. Then the Careers showed up the next morning and Cato and I's little exchange of words. There was the hate in the love/hate relationship.

It also skipped the part where I talked to myself and instead showed me up in a tree beside the other Cornucopia. How I fought Glimmer and took the bow. Cato chasing me.

Our standoff and then me giving up and letting Cato take the bow from me like I was some child. And then, I fell into my own trap. Cato fixed my back and made me feel better. It then showed us so close as Cato rubbed my neck to make it feel better. Then the fever began to set in.

Cato went back to the Career pack and it showed Kaz, sitting not so innocently on a box of supplies. I felt my lip rise in a snarl.

Then it flitted back to me and showed my fight with Cashmere and Gloss. I could feel Cato tense beside me and I snuggled closer to him and rested my cheek on his shoulder, our eyes still on the screen.

Cato found me half dead and I had to admit, I was sure that I _was_ dead, even though I wasn't. Three long fingernail scratches trailed down the side of my face. My nose was bleeding and my lip was split. My shoulder was dripping all sort of bodily liquids. I looked like shit.

Then it showed Cato saving me with the sponsor's gift. He carefully picked me up and carried me into the cave with Glitch in the lead.

My cheeks heated up when I watched Cato unzip my top. The crowd let out whistles and cat calls. I could only smile sheepishly before burying my face in Cato's side. He was laughing the whole time. But I was glad he didn't fondle me like I thought he would. Instead, he just took my top off and set to work wrapping up my shoulder.

At least I owed him that. He wasn't the creeper like I thought.

Then I exploded when I woke up and nearly ripped his face off. I almost fell into the fire but Cato saved me and pulled me against his chest. I smiled slightly. Then he was tracing my scars.

As Cato watched himself trace the bullet scar, his own fingers traced the place where it was. I shivered under his touch. Cato apparently felt this and he continued his ministrations. I didn't like it. I continued to squirm under his fingers and a smug smirk pulled at his lips. He liked the way he made me uncomfortable.

And then he held me while I slept. The crowd 'awwed' again.

It showed Gloss looking up and seeing his sister's face broadcast across the sky. He looked pissed. He knew that he was going to kill me and get revenge.

Then, we kissed. In front of all of Panem. And I nearly melted into putty in Cato's arms, who tightened their grip around me and pulled me closer to him before he placed another sound kiss on my lips. It was like our first kiss all over again.

My mind whirled for a moment and it was just by luck that he pulled back.

And just when it was about to cut to the part where I was fishing with Finnick, they cut it out and it showed Cato and I finding both Marvel and Clove. The entire audience was silent and I could almost feel Cato shaking beside me.

Poor Clove. She wanted me to win with Cato. Tears began to sting at the back of my eyes. She was rooting for me the entire time. Maybe she wasn't the monster I thought she was.

And I watched Cato violently kill Kaz. But I wasn't upset. The little bastard deserved what he got. He was a monster. I had just yet to see it.

Then it was time for the final battle.

Cato had to look away from the screen as my screams came through the speakers. I myself flinched and Cato felt this. Pulling me impossibly close to him, he rested his forehead against my own, his fingers entangling into my golden curls on either side of my face, forcing me to look at him. We just stared into each other's eyes and I was able to block out the noise of my own torture.

"_I'm not a Victor_..." I looked up at the screen at this point. I had Cato's sword poised above my head to strike. "_I'm a Tribute._" And then the final canon sounded. We had won but then we hadn't.

Then the Hanging Tree came floating back into my head. But they didn't show it. We rebelled to much in that one moment. They would never show it on TV.

The lights on the stage came back on and Caesar turned back to us. "How about that?" The crowd cheered and Cato still had his iron grip on me. "So, I saw a lot of love in that relationship! Have you told each other yet?" Everyone became silent. Cato and I exchanged a look of confusion.

"Told each other what?" Cato asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh, come on!" Caesar said, patting Cato's shoulder. "Surely you've said those three little words to each other haven't you?" I felt my face pale completely. Oh. That. "Surely you've been man enough Cato?"

"Of course he has!" I stood up for the panicking Victor. He sent me a relieved look.

"Well, why don't you say it right now then?" The crowd cheered in agreement and Cato slowly turned to look at me. Our eyes locked and I decided that I might as well be the first person to say it. I was sure of how I felt. I also needed to continue to play this couple card. It was the only way we would stay safe.

"I love you..." I said quietly but I was sure that Cato and the rest of Panem heard me. Something then sparkled in Cato's eyes and I couldn't help but smile back. I could see the emotion lingering there.

"And Cato? Do you love her back?"

"Without a doubt, Caesar..." He didn't even look at the host before his head dipped down and lightly brushed his lips against mine again. But I felt my heart clench. He never actually said the words back.

"Well, it was certainly nice speaking with the two of you! Ladies and Gentlemen!" Caesar stood up, as did we. "I would like to properly introduce the Victors of the Quarter Quell, Shade Matson and Cato Hadley, the two Victors who are in love!"

* * *

**Well, the Capitol is pissed. **

**But, hey! I updated my story! I've still got a few more chapters to go and there are a few things to look forward in the next couple of chapters!**

**There will be a lot of threatening involved. On both sides of the argument. Mostly on Snow's. I can't wait to write it!**

**If you haven't yet realized it, I have been updating this story. Basically, I have edited and added in bits and pieces to add to the story because when I looked back on it, I about vomited.**

**Anyway, thank you all for the reviews! I appreciate you guys!**

**Love,**

**Blue **


	28. Chapter 28

**Third Person's POV**

As soon as the couple walked off the stage, four Peacekeepers approached them. The biggest of the four immediately restrained Cato and the second largest one soon joined him.

Shade didn't know what was happening.

"CATO!" She began to panic, knowing that this had to be the beginning of the consequences that she was going to face for holding a Peacekeeper at gun point. However, the two other Peacekeepers came and took hold of her own arms and began leading her away. Their once intertwined fingers were broken as they pulled the two Victors apart.

"SHADE!" Cato called back, his eyes growing dark with panic and concern. However, the Peacekeepers were only restraining Cato while they began to tow Shade down another hallway. Struggling in their grasp, she tried retching her arms free but to no avail.

"Where are we going?" She asked once Cato was out of view. They were walking at a brisk pace and Shade was struggling to keep up in her high heels. They didn't answer her question.

It seemed as if they had walked forever before they stopped outside two large and elaborate doors. There were two Peacekeepers standing beside the door, waiting for them to arrive. They opened the double doors and allowed the other two Peacekeepers to escort her inside.

The room was just as fancy as any other in the Capitol but a large, beautiful desk sat in the center of the room. There was a roaring fireplace and tall bookcases stretched up to the ceiling. A few leather sofas were also in the room, probably for the readers who visited the vast collection of books. On the wall, there was a set of decorative weapons consisting of a few swords and knifes. Shade wondered if they were sharp. But being a butcher, she knew that sometimes, a dull blade caused more pain. She kept note of the weapons. A steaming pot of tea also lay on the large desk, beside two teacups and numerous papers were scattered about.

An odd smell stung Shade's nose though. It was like nothing she had ever smelt before. That was when Shade noticed the large vases of white roses perched there and her eyes narrowed. So they brought her to see _him_.

A white haired man was also facing away from them and didn't even acknowledge that they had entered the room. He was simply looking out the large window that sat behind his desk. "You may leave..." Came his voice. Shade couldn't help the shutter that came from her body when she heard it. It was the voice of _the_ monster.

The two Peacekeepers bowed slightly before leaving Shade alone in the room with him. Another few minutes passed before the man sighed and slowly turned around to face her.

"Ah! Shade, it's wonderful to see you!" He acted as if he was happy to see her, using her first name like he had known her for forever. She narrowed her eyes again.

"Actually, it's Miss Matson..." She nearly spat. He only sighed before chuckling and shaking his head. Oh, she had such spirit. Shade watched as he carefully sat down in the large chair behind the desk. She remained standing.

"Very well, Miss Matson. How have you been?" He asked her, his voice taking on a genuinely caring tone.

"I've been... alright."

Very good!" He lifted the teapot of the desk top and poured it into the porcelain cup. "Tea?"

"No, thank you." Shade replied quietly, watching as he dumped in a couple sugar cubes. Sugar cubes. _Finnick_.

"Would you please take a seat?" He motioned to one of the two chairs before the large desk. Following this simple request, she smoothed her dress out before lowering herself into the padded chair. The smell of roses around her was overwhelming. It made her want to vomit. "I must tell you, you give the most wonderful of interviews!" He said before taking a sip of his tea.

"I'm only being myself." She replied coldly, knowing that she wasn't supposed to let the Capitol change her. But she had changed. Now that she thought about it, the interviews were almost the easiest part of the Games. It was easy to lie. "But, thank you..."

"You know, I would have to say that you are one of my favorite Tributes to ever be in the Games..." Shade felt her blood run cold.

"Oh?" She swallowed.

"Yes. I've been watching you since the 74th Games' Reaping..." Her blood solidified in her veins and she felt her heart grow heavy. Swallowing, she also felt her stomach come into her throat.

The 74th Games' Reaping was the year when she stepped out of line to defend Peeta. That was a year ago. He had been watching her for an entire _year_.

"And Mr. Hadley? How is he?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen Cato for at least five days, give or take..." Snow looked up from his cup of tea, his eyes almost snake-like. "I'm not entirely sure how long it's been since the Games..."

"You mean you didn't get all the information you wanted from my humble Peacekeepers?" Fear spiked through Shade's body. So this was about _that_.

"They were a bit vague actually..." Shade looked at the contents of his desk. She took note of the pens that lay scattered among the papers. They could be used as a weapon should the need call for it. Snow laughed slightly.

"I would have been vague too if I was held at gun point..." He smiled slightly and it caused her to shutter. It was not a pleasant sight. "Tell me, why did you do it?"

"Hold them at gun point?" He nodded. "I needed information and I did it in the least harmless of ways..."

"You threatened to kill one of my men!"

"Actually two but that's beside the point..." She muttered more to herself. "I just wanted to know what _day_ of the week it was!"

"You wanted the same thing that I want. _Information_." Shade's stomach dropped. "I'm sure you have some, considering that Mr. Mellark has given us none..." Peeta. Her heart stopped in her chest. He was alive but he was in the Capitol's clutches. Peeta almost would have been better of dead.

"Where. Is. Peeta?" She hissed, rising out of her chair slightly. His eyes flashed up to her, a silent warning lying in their depths. _Control your anger, Miss Matson._

"Mr. Mellark is safe. Hidden away from your little band of rebel scum..."

"Rebel scum?" She asked, sounding completely innocent. She wasn't entirely sure who was a rebel anymore. It seemed everyone was.

"Surely you know?" Shade slowly shook her head. "It seems that Mr. Abernathy was one of the ring leaders of your little group..."

"Are you implying that I'm a rebel?" Her eyes narrowed slightly on him and she was trying to convince him that she wasn't, in fact, one of the rebels. She needed to protect herself. She had to lie to protect Cato.

"There's no need to be coy, Miss Matson. After that little stunt you tried to pull with the double suicide, I am most certain you _are_, in fact, a rebel! And might I add, it was a very original idea, I'm sure Miss Everdeen taught it to you?"

"No, in fact. It was my own idea. I'm pretty resourceful if you haven't figured that out yet."

"So are you going to give me the information that I want or must things become messy?" And there was the threatening. Shade had been waiting for it the entire time they were speaking.

"If I actually _did_ know anything about the rebels..." She reached up and played with the wolf charm on her neck, her hazel eyes flashing up from the floor. Snow watched her carefully, her fingers touching the wolf pendant around her neck. The second symbol of the rebellion. The Pack. "I most certainly wouldn't tell _you_!"

"We have certain ways to get information out of you, Miss Matson..." A sinister grin pulled at his lips. She shuttered once again.

"So why don't you just kill me? I don't have any information for you!" Her voice was bitter.

"Because..." He sighed. "That would cause a whole new uprising in the Capitol itself. They need their Victors, especially the ones who had just won the Quarter Quell. They still like to believe that anyone can find _love_ anymore... Besides, getting information out of people is easy. All it takes is a little... _prodding_."

"I don't know..." A small smile pulled at her lips as she looked at him then. The fear was then replaced with the bravery at the most stupidest of times. "I'm a pretty good liar." He narrowed his eyes on the shimmery form of the girl, certainly having a difficult time picking up the little ticks that would give her away. She was indeed good. The arena seemed to change her, only for the better. She was more devious if anything.

The room was completely silent for a moment before he folded his hands together and pressed his lips against his crossed thumbs. As if deciding on something, Snow suddenly leaned forward, a question lying between his eyes.

"What is your opinion on _modeling clothes_, Miss Matson?"

"Modeling... clothes?"

"Yes, you simply wear a few Capitol gowns and show them off to the public who in return buy them on an auction that takes place as you walk down the runway..." He explained.

"And why should I care about modeling clothes?" Her eyes narrowed on his slimy form.

"Every Victor needs a talent, Miss Matson. You certainly are beautiful enough to sell the clothing and I know that many people find you _desirable_. I think it would work out nicely!" Shade sat in her seat and thought this over for a moment. It seemed harmless enough. Why not? It was just selling clothes! What harm could come from that?

"How am I supposed to learn?"

"If I were you, I would simply return to my apartment and watch a few of the fashion channels. You can learn a lot from television you know...?" He took a sip of his tea before leaning back in his chair. Clicking a few buttons on his desk, a large TV suddenly turned on across the room. It was almost as big as the entire wall. On the screen, a Capitol seal slowly rotated.

"But, how am I supposed to model clothes if I'm always at home in District 12?"

"Oh, dear..." His face suddenly became very sad. "No one's told you?" Her heart began racing. Judging by his tone, something was wrong.

"Told me what?"

"There was an accident in your District..." He quickly hit another button on his desk, changing the channel on the television. "The mining factory exploded and set the whole District on fire..." The screen projected what appeared to be an aerial view of what remained of District 12. There was nothing left but a few fires and smoke that billowed up from the burning ground. Not even the Justice Building remained.

Her District was destroyed.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing and her burning District would forever be burned into her mind just as the fire burned the land. But then she realized that this couldn't be done by one explosion. It had to be more powerful than that. Shade felt the anger beginning to fill her chest, the same rage that she felt when Cashmere said she killed Peeta.

"Y-You...!" Her voice quaked with emotion and she looked back to the President, a few angry tears spilling down her cheeks. There was no other alternative. He had to have done it with some sick Capitol warfare. Probably District 13 weapons that they had been saving from long ago. Fucking District. Shade hated them. "You did this!" She stood up from her seat so fast that the chair tipped over and clattered to the ground. Snow didn't seem fazed in the slightest.

"Don't be so upset, Miss Matson! Seeing as how much you hate rebels, I can assure you that your District was full of them and _none_ got away!"

"And I can assure you, _Mr. President_, that I won't be taking part of one of your fucking fashion shows!" She spat before lunging over the desk at him. The desk was so large that it was a problem getting over it but she managed. Especially in her heels. Her hand wrapped around one of the pens from before and she clutched it in her fist. Snow must have pushed a button, apparently calling a few Peacekeepers into the room. Just as she was about to swipe at Snow, she was roughly pulled back by her ankles. She lashed out at the men behind her, using her heels as a weapon. "You're a monster!"

Snow only laughed. He laughed in the face of his certain death. But he had learned over the years: Don't anger a disturbed Victor.

"No, Miss Matson!" The Peacekeepers didn't haul her away and instead restrained her in place. She watched as Snow reached down into his desk and opened one of the drawers. She tried pulling her arms free, only to be grabbed by her wrists but she continued to grunt as she struggled. Shade swallowed nervously as he reached into the drawer. Agonizingly slow, he pulled something out of the drawer. It was probably a torture weapon of some sort. A wave of confusion crossed over her face when she only found that the item was a handheld mirror. Snow gazed into it for a moment before turning it around so that she could see her own reflection. "You're the monster..."

Taking in her own reflection, Shade did everything in her power to stop the new tears that threatened to fall. The girl in the mirror looked crazed as she looked back at Shade. Her hazel eyes were wide and blazing with pure fury. Her jaw was clenched, revealing her teeth which were bared in a snarl. She just all together looked wild.

She _was_ a monster. She had killed all those people in the arena and she was trying to do it again.

"You are free to go!" He lowered the mirror, a smug smirk on his face. She stopped fighting against the men restraining her. They began to carry her off, her legs not able to support her own weight. She was broken.

"Wait..." She quietly asked the Peacekeepers. They exchanged a look before slowly turning around so that she could look at Snow. "Now that my District has been blown sky high, where am I supposed to live?" She croaked, her eyes now lifeless.

"Well, I would imagine that when you aren't staying in the Capitol, Mr. Hadley would be more than happy to show you around District 2. I'll get a house set up for you immediately!"

"Two... Two isn't rebelling?"

"Of course not!" He sighed and picked up one of the white roses from the pot. He brought it to his nose and smelt it. "District 2 is an ally with the Capitol. They are the ones who send us Peacekeepers. It will be nice for you to be so close to _home_! That way, I can keep a close eye on you, my little Queen of the Games!" He smiled before setting the rose down. Shade shuttered when he said the word home. The Capitol wasn't her home. It never would be.

Taking her silence as an order to leave the Peacekeepers turned and began to drag her away.

"And Shade?" Once again, the men turned her around to face the President. "I really am sorry about your loss..." Except his words weren't sincere. A sick smile was pulling back his lips but Shade didn't have the strength to go after the man again.

* * *

Her palms slapped against the floor as the Peacekeepers shoved her to the ground. Her knees painfully connected with the hard ground and she winced but made no noise.

Shade could hear the elevator doors close behind her as the two men left her in the strange place. The marble was cold on her hands and she looked down at the flooring before she let out a quiet sob. Slowly slumping to the ground, Shade didn't care about the bronze dress anymore. She didn't care about her hair. Her make up. The shoes. The fame. Anything.

Her family was dead, along with the rest of the innocent people that lived in District 12.

She would never be able to sneak around the Seam with Katniss. She wouldn't ever be able to visit the Mellark's bakery. She wouldn't get to go hunting in the lush forest. Trade with shifty characters in the Hob. Shade would never see her own family shop again. She wouldn't be able to lay in the meadow with Peeta, let alone see him. He was just as trapped as she was.

At that thought, a loud sob racked through her entire body. Her entire being shook with emotion and she lay her head down on the floor, simply letting herself become a puddle of emotions. Everything she ever cared about was gone or in the clutches of the Capitol.

"Shade?" Her sobs stopped for a moment and she listened. Someone was in the apartment with her. She could hear quiet footsteps on the cold floor. Slowly raising her tear stained face up from the floor, Cato was standing a few feet away from her, looking both worried and upset. He was still wearing his suit but his shirt wasn't tucked in and it was unbuttoned, revealing more of his chest and stomach. His perfect, unscathed stomach.

Shade could only sniff before letting her forehead fall back to the floor. More sobs wracked her body. This whole time, the boy she but her trust in, was an ally with the Capitol. Well, his District was but wasn't that the same thing?

She then felt strong arms come under her own arms and pull her up form the cold ground. Her legs still couldn't hold herself up and she leaned heavily on the boy who wrapped his arms around her. He bent down and swept his arms underneath her knees, bringing her into his strong arms.

He carried her over to the new couch which was apart of the new apartment. Dropping down onto the couch, Cato held Shade to his chest, running his fingers through her still curly hair.

"Shade, what happened?" His voice rumbled through his chest and she curled more into him. This was the only thing that could bring her comfort at the moment. This was the only thing she knew. This was the only home she had left. And even then it wasn't home.

"H-He... District 12... M-Monster..." She tried to get out between sobs but it was near impossible. He could feel her body shaking in his hold and he sighed. Something bad had happened involving District 12.

"Deep breaths." He warned her, his cheek pressed down onto the top of her head. "Tell me what happened."

She took a deep, shuttering breath before she looked up into his eyes. "Snow... blew up District 12." The Victor froze for a moment before he cradled her head to his chest, his thumb stroking the side of her neck. "It's on the TV..."

Reaching over to the side table, he picked up the odd remote before flipping the TV on. He couldn't believe it. He had to see it with his own eyes. Right away, the screen showed the burning remains of District 12. Shade didn't have the strength in her to see it again.

But as Cato sat and watched with wide eyes, he felt Shade grow quiet once more.

"Why don't you go shower?" He kissed the top of her head before murmuring into her hair. She nodded and with Cato's help, stood on shaky legs and began walking to one of the three doors that were attached to the living room.

"Which room is mine?" She croaked, standing shakily on her stupid heels. Cato tore his gaze away from the TV and looked at one of the three doors.

"I haven't even looked..." He said before walking over to the first room. Turning the knob and walking into the room, both the Victors peered inside. It was a simple room with light gray walls, almost white. There were a few modern paintings hung on the wall. One whole side of the room was a window and Capitol people rushed by below, on their way to work or where ever the hell they were going. The comforter on the bed was a vibrant green and perfectly ironed. Cato brushed passed her and walked over to the large walk-in closet in the corner. Shade watched as he disappeared inside for a moment.

"I think that this is my room!" He called from inside the smaller room, his voice muffled. There was the shuffling of fabric before his jacket and shirt flew from the doorway.

"Fine but I'm showering in your shower..." Shade murmered as she hobbled into the bathroom, only to find that it was joined between the two bedrooms. So technically, part of it was her shower. Shade simply shut the door before locking it. She wasn't taking any chances. She _needed_ to be alone.

Stepping out of her high heels, she tugged the sparkly dress over her head before tossing it aside in disgust. Throwing her bra and underwear to the side as well, she pressed a few buttons on the wall panel and the water began to warm up inside the glass. Glancing into the mirror, she carefully poke at the puffy skin beneath her red eyes and grimaced. Her make up also was staining her cheeks and she tried wiping at the now dry substance.

She was a mess.

Reaching a hand inside the fogged glass, Shade deemed the water hot enough and stepped inside. Instantly wetting her hair, the curls went flat and her hair turned a couple shades darker than normal. She stood under the steady stream for a moment. Feeling herself warm, Shade finally ran a hand across her painted cheeks. Picking up vanilla shampoo and conditioner, Shade thoroughly bathed herself before rinsing the soap from her body. Then she repeated it. She felt like she was covered in Capitol germs.

The hot water that washed across her face kept her tears a secret and they washed down the drain with the suds.

"_You're the monster_..." Snow's voice echoed in her head. More tears slipped down her cheeks and she leaned against the fogged glass before slowly sliding down the side, sobbing the entire time.

His words were true. She had killed five people without a second thought. And then, she was selfish enough to try and cause Cato to kill himself. She was a terrible person. Thoughts of death and blood consumed her mind. She had even tried to kill the _President_.

_He deserved it!_ She told herself, her bare shoulders shaking as her body fought against her own emotions.

Apparently, Shade was in the shower for a while because soon, Cato came knocking.

"What?" She weakly called back from the floor of the shower.

"Are you alright?" She sniffed.

"No."

"Can I come in?" She sniffed.

"No."

"Why not!?"

"I'm naked..." Cato was silent on the other side of the door.

"Why are you naked?"

"Well I certainly don't shower with my clothes on!" She moaned, the warm water spraying onto her face.

"Oh..." He never came into the bathroom and a few minutes after the hot shower, Shade emerged from the bathroom, her skin still steaming as she was wrapped in a fluffy white towel, her hair still hanging about her shoulders, damp. There was a blower in there that dried your body in about three seconds but Shade liked having her hair damp. It made her feel normal again.

"Hey, I'm pretty sure this is my room!" Cato was nowhere to be seen and his voice came from the closet again. He then emerged from the closet not a moment later, holding up a silver dress up to his chest as if comparing the size to his body. The dress was _way_ to small. The fabric appeared to be covered in thousands of glittering diamonds and Shade gaped at it. "This dress totally matches my eyes..." Shade couldn't help but let her lip twitch up slightly.

Surprised at the minimal amount of emotion she showed, Cato raised his eyebrows in surprise. He was at least hoping for a laugh. Then, he decided to humiliate himself for her. Dropping the too small purple dress, Cato revealed his broad chest. Well, his chest was covered with a bright pink bra.

Shade raised her hands up to her mouth, trying her hardest to fight a smile. She found it endearing that he was trying to make her feel better. He really cared about him.

"What's wrong?" He puffed his chest out and placed his hands on his hips. "Are you laughing at my body?" He asked, running a hand over his toned stomach, a hurt look on his face.

"Cato, take the bra off..." Shade was able to control her laughter for a minute and let her hands drop back to the side.

"Shade! I can't believe you would ask that of me! I thought we were going to wait!" He squeaked, his voice raising a few octaves. He batted his eyelashes at her and she could only shake her head at him. "No but seriously..." He lowered his voice back down and began toying with the soft cups. "These are fun to play with!"

"Stop fondling yourself..." She grinned and pushed passed him into the closet, her bare feet leaving a trail of water on the floor. Cato just watched her go by, finally realizing that she was standing before him in _nothing_ but a towel. He was tempted to grab hold of the towel.

Shade shut the closet door behind her.

Opening one of the drawers of the dresser inside, she found bras and skimpy underwear neatly stacked so that the pairs matched up. She wrinkled her nose up slightly. She was used to wearing boy shorts. Not what ever the fuck these were. Picking up a simple yellow pair, she slipped them on, after finding that they fit perfectly, before rummaging around for a pair of pajamas. Finding a pair of black night shorts and a soft red t-shirt, she slipped it over her head before walking back outside.

When she emerged from her closet, Cato was gone, leaving the bright pink bra in his wake. Kicking it aside with her nose turned up, she was silent as she listened for the other Victor, realizing for the first time that they were sharing an apartment. They were _living_ together.

Padding out into the living room/kitchen area, Shade saw the other door was slightly open and she approached the lush couch in the living room and dropped down onto it. Shade could suddenly hear the shower running in the bathroom, figuring that Cato was taking a shower as well.

Ew. They had both been in the same shower. Completely naked.

Cringing slightly at that thought, Shade was a little cold and she spotted a large basket in the corner of the room, wondering if that's were the blankets were. Slowly approaching the woven container, she pulled the lid off to reveal some of the softest throw blankets she had ever felt. Taking one out, she wrapped it around her body before slumping back onto the couch.

Reaching over onto the end table, Shade picked up the remote and began flipping through the channels. There had to be a thousand of them. Eventually, she decided on watching one of the fashion channels, hoping to see how the models, well, modeled. For the sake of their _President_.

"What are you watching?" Shade turned around to see that Cato was standing in the doorway of what she assumed was his room. He was in a pair of gray baggy sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He was ruffling his damp hair with a towel while watching her watch TV.

"Nothing..." She flipped to the next station which showed the fires of District 12. Cato simply shrugged before disappearing back into his room before returning moments later. He dropped down on the other side of the couch, his eyes trained on the TV. Silence ensued and Shade snuggled deeper into her blanket. The tears for the people she lost still lingered there but she held them at bay by hiding her face in her blanket. The reporter said that the death toll was huge, almost consisting of the entire population.

"What was 12 like?" Cato asked suddenly which made her head raise up from the blanket. He could tell that she was getting close to crying again.

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me about it." Shade looked over at Cato, seeing his blue eyes sincere. She sniffed before brushing her damp hair from her face. She sat up slightly.

"We... We were a poor District. Most people were so poor that they didn't have homes. Food was always hard to find but our family was lucky. We always had food on the table which was a blessing. But, the people of 12 were rough and persistent. We don't die easily. Samuel always said we were almost like the plague. We were hard to kill and even harder to get rid of..." She smiled slightly at the thought. Cato found that her words were true. Shade had never rolled over and excepted death. "My family wasn't originally from 12. My dad, he came to 12 when he was about 20. He moved from District 10 and started his own butcher's shop because, you know, District 10 is the livestock District. Only after a few months being in 12, he fell in love with my mom. Then they got married about a year later and it wasn't long before my oldest brother, Cam, was born. He's a Peacekeeper, now. Then Samuel was born, he's three years older than me. And then I was brought into this world as the youngest and only daughter born to the Matson family..." Shade smiled again but it fell when she realized that her family was dead. Her eyes stung. "It wasn't the most beautiful of Districts but it was home..." She sniffed.

The two of them were silent for awhile, just listening to the hum of the people on TV.

"Hey, Cato?" She asked so quietly he wondered if she had actually said anything.

"Yeah?"

"I killed five people in the Hunger Games..." The other Tribute didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say.

"Well, I killed four..." He replied quietly. Shade didn't know what else to say to that. "We didn't have a choice, Shay. We did what we did to survive and that's all that matters..." She just bent her head down and propped her head up with a pillow.

After awhile, her eyes began to grow heavy but then her stomach rumbled loudly. Her eyes burst open. Cato apparently heard this. "You're hungry?" Shade could only nod. Cato grumbled before heaving himself off the couch. Shade listened as he padded into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He returned a moment later with a tub of ice cream and a spoon.

Shade's eyes widened with excitement and she held her hands out but Cato simply brushed passed her and flopped down on the other side of the couch. Pulling the top off the ice cream, he began eating it, completely ignoring her. After a few seconds of watching him, she stuck her bottom lip out. He ignored her again. Kicking him in the leg with her foot, his head slowly turned to look at her.

"What?" He asked. She raised an eyebrow, looking down at the ice cream. "Oh, you want some of this?"

"Well, when you got up, I kinda figured that you got it for me!"

"Then you thought wrong, baby!" He dipped the spoon back down into the chocolate treat and put it in his mouth. Shade was jealous. She wanted some ice cream.

"Cato!" She whined, slumping back against the couch in an overly dramatic fashion. He smiled a bit to himself. At least she was acting normally again.

"Fine... Come here!" He opened his legs and arms, leaving room for her to sit down. Shifting on the couch, Shade climbed over his legs and moved to sit between his legs, bringing the blanket with her. Snuggling close to him, he dipped his spoon back into the ice cream and held it out to her. Clamping her mouth around the spoon, Shade smiled in contentment as she ate the tasty treat. Cato felt something rumble in his chest. Oh, God. It was a turn on. He handed her the spoon and ice cream, letting her dig in. And so, Shade leaned back against his chest, indulging on the ice cream. His hand idly twirled a strand of her damp hair while his other hand rested on his propped up knee. Both their feet were up on the automaton with the blanket draped over their legs which were tangled together.

Taking another spoonful of ice cream, she offered it up to Cato who licked the spoon clean. This continued on for awhile and two and a half movies later, both were soundly asleep on the couch.

Shade was able to sleep peacefully for the first time since waking up in the Capitol, Cato's large body was wrapped around her, keeping her warm and safe. Cato himself slept soundly, completely aware of the woman in his arms.

She had fallen asleep first and he hadn't even seen part of the movie. He just stared down at her, his fingers reaching up and gently brushing against her soft cheek. He slowly bent down, pressing his nose into her hair. She smelled like vanilla again. He carefully kissed the top of her head. She sighed through her nose and snuggled into him more.

After awhile, his own eyes grew heavy. Shifting Shade in his grasp, he brought her even closer to him and rested his head on the back of the couch. A few minutes later, he was snoring quietly with Shade in his lap who didn't have any nightmares on that night.

* * *

**Hey, I didn't get any reviews for last chapter. I was kind of disappointed. **

**Thanks, guys. I love your support. **

**I REALLY DO LOVE GETTING REVIEWS! BUT I DIDN'T GET ANY AND I WAS REALLY SAD! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HARD I WORK ON THIS STORY AND IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT! :(**

**Please people! Review! I like hearing back from you guys and it makes me really depressed when I don't get any feedback! I was so concerned about this story that I basically re-wrote it! Can't you at least give me that!**

**I've worked so hard on this story so please, just leave something for me to know that you guys like what you read! Anything! PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU!**

**Love,**

**Blue**


	29. Chapter 29

**Third Person's POV**

Shade moaned in her sleep. Someone was massaging her scalp. And nibbling on her ear.

Letting her head loll back, she pressed the back of her head into the hard chest behind her. Cato wanted her to wake up. The nibbling continued and then she felt the hand in her hair carefully tug her neck to the side. The lips assaulting her ear then moved down to the soft skin of her neck. It felt wonderful and she sighed heavily though her nose.

Her hand reached up into his soft hair, her fingers running through the golden strands.

After a few minutes of attention on her neck, Cato's lips moved back up to her ear, gently nibbling. But then, his teeth really got involved and he bit down. Hard. "OW!" Her eyes burst open. Upon hearing her curse, Cato released her ear and she sat forward, away from his chest.

With sleep riddled eyes, she looked back at the man behind her. He had a slight smirk on his face and he was looking right back at her, his own eyes still tired looking. He had just woken up, too.

Reaching a hand up to her ear, she rubbed the skin that was damp with saliva but pulled her hand away and found no blood.

"What the hell?" She murmured, her voice deep with sleep. Cato just smiled at her softly before reaching out and carefully pulling her into his arms again. She couldn't really fight him so she just accepted the fact that he was stronger than her in the morning. He cradled against his chest, his chin resting on top of her head.

"I'm a biter..." He murmured into her hair, recalling the time when she had said it in the arena. Her cheeks had flushed as red as the shirt she was wearing. Shade just smiled softly, reaching up and carefully pressing her lips against the skin right above the collar of his shirt.

In another moment of bravery, Shade pulled her legs up underneath her. Cato had always been the one to initiate their intimate moments. She felt as though she should give something back. However, she was so inexperienced she wasn't entirely sure what to do. So, she just did what Cato did.

Scooting closer to him, Shade pressed another kiss to his neck, ever so slightly trailing her lips up to his jaw bone. Cato let his head fall back onto the couch, letting her continue her simple ministrations. Shifting on his lap again, she sat so she straddled his hips. Letting her hands trail up his body, Cato breathed deeply, making sure to keep himself calm. Her hands came to rest under his jaw and she kissed down his neck again. He took a sharp intake of breath at one point and she stopped when she reached that one part, her hazel eyes flashing open.

Pressing her lips against the skin there again, Cato's arms came around her and pulled her body closer to his own. His own hands came up to her face, taking her lips away from his sensitive neck. He didn't want her taking control just yet. Bringing her lips up to his, he crushed his against her's.

He had waited to get out of the arena for this. He needed privacy. He didn't like Panem seeing his relationships with others.

His tongue ran over her lower lip but Shade was confused and tried just kissing him back, simply pressing her lips harder to his own. Cato growled in frustration, remembering that Shade was about as inexperienced as they come. Taking her bottom lip into his teeth, he tugged slightly and Shade's eyes opened. She was still confused.

Reaching down, he squeezed her butt with both hands which elicited a gasp from her throat and he took this as his only opportunity. Jamming his tongue into her mouth, he kissed her deeply, his tongue moving against her own.

But then he heard the worst noise possible. The elevator opened.

Withdrawing his tongue, he pulled his lips away from Shade's and glanced back over the couch. Two Avoxes had arrived with their breakfast, wheeling it in on two carts.

Shade looked up from kissing Cato and looked over his shoulder. Silence then engulfed the room and Shade awkwardly sat straddling Cato's lap, her fingers toying with the baby hairs at the base of his skull. His hands still rested on her waist, both their chests still heaving slightly.

Once the Avoxes left, Shade shifted her eyes from the elevator back to him. Should they eat? Or were they going to continue on with what they had started?

Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, Cato sighed internally before standing up. His hands moved down to her thighs and as he stood up, she wrapped her legs around him before he took the both of them into the kitchen. Placing her rear in one of the dinning room tables, Cato took the seat across from her.

Multiple platters had been laid out. Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and various types of fruit lined the table. After pilling their plates, the two sat in silence, quietly eating their first real meal together.

* * *

Sprawled across the couch, Shade once again was watching the fashion network. She snickered as she watched the twig-like models flounce down the runway. This shit looked easy to the Hunger Games. She could do it, no problem.

She watched as people bid on the dresses and how they were sold right in front of everyone. It was kinda weird.

Cato had disappeared a couple of minutes ago into what she assumed was his room. The door was slightly ajar. She wondered what he was doing. She could hear something going on in the room and she let the curiosity get the best of her.

Approaching the other door, she pushed it open more fully before walking inside. Cato's room was the exact opposite of her's. The bed was facing the opposite direction up against the opposite wall. His comforter was black and red. His walks were a modern dark gray. He had a whole wall that was a window as well. Walking over to the large bed in the center of the room, Shade flopped down on it.

Letting her eyes slide closed, Shade listened as Cato dug through his own closet. Eventually, she heard his bare feet slapping against the ground and heard clothing drop to the floor.

"Did I say you could come into my room?" She heard an angry rumble and looked up from where she had her face buried into the impossibly soft blanket. Cato was standing in the thresh hold of his closet, his blue eyes locked on her form. He showed no sign of toying around and his face was tense with anger. Shade was about to say something but his stony demeanor dropped and he smirked at her. "I'm just kidding..."

Shade had really been scared for a moment.

He walked over to the couch in front of the large window, clothing in his hands. He had a nice suit and a clean shirt and Shade wondered why he was already laying his clothes out. Then she remembered. The Crowning was tonight.

"When is the prep team coming?" She asked quietly, her eyes looking up at the ceiling.

"I'm not sure. The Capitol doesn't tell us anything." He murmured as he slowly approached the bed before flopping onto it beside her. "Where did the Peacekeepers take you?" He asked quietly, his own eyes gazing up at the ceiling.

"They took me to Snow..." She said so quietly that Cato was sure she hadn't said it.

"What did he want?"

"I threatened some Peacekeepers..."

"You WHAT?"

"I threatened a couple Peacekeepers because I wanted to know how long they had us separated..." She explained before she grew quiet again. They both laid on his bed, both staring up at the ceiling. "I'm also going to live in 2..."

Rolling over, he turned to look at her to confirm that he had heard what she had just said. "Why?"

"Two isn't rebelling and Snow wants to keep an eye on me when I'm not in the Capitol..." She said and this made Cato's eyebrows furrow together. They were really keeping a close eye on the two of them. He didn't like it. "Twelve doesn't even exist anymore so where else am I supposed to go?" The Victor mulled this over for a bit. Cato didn't want her in 2. She just wouldn't fit in with the people there. He couldn't tell which emotion it was. Fear. Sadness. Anger. "Peeta's alive. The Capitol has him."

"Really?" He asked. She nodded her head, angrily wiping her tears away. "Then he'd be better off dead..." Cato told her, his voice growing slightly angry. He suddenly thought about the bomb in the arena. He also thought about how Shade and Peeta had kissed. He was still bitter about that. "Did you ever tell Lover Boy that you _loved_ him?" There was an edge of bitterness to his tone. Shade's eyes slowly came to rest on him, confusion written in her eyes. Why was he suddenly so angry?

"What do you mean?"

"You sure kissed him like you meant it back in the arena!" Cato spat. Shade sighed before closing her eyes. Of course he would bring this up. She knew it was only a matter of time and it seemed as though that time had ran out.

"Cato listen-"

"I'm all ears!" He interrupted, his arms spreading wide in sarcasm, almost hitting her. He was now sitting up, his back facing her.

"I'm trying to explain!"

"Then go ahead!"

"I can't when you're acting like an asshole!" More tears began to appear in her eyes. Cato could hear it in her voice. "Just listen to me!" She was up on her knees now, her hands on her chest, gesturing for him to hear what she had to say.

"Alright." He said quietly, ashamed of what he just did. However, inside he was still a raging ball of anger.

"The only reason I kissed Peeta was because in that moment, I thought we were all going to die-"

"So you chose to kiss him instead of me?"

"I had already kissed you! I knew what it felt like! It was wonderful but I didn't know what it felt like to kiss Peeta! After all the years that I had been friends with him, I had always wondered and I didn't want to die not knowing if there was something between us!" Cato turned away from her, upset that she had chosen Peeta over him in what could have been their final moments. "But, I also kissed him for a different reason..." Shade shifted on the bed so that she was right behind him. "On that day, I learned who I really loved... And it wasn't Peeta..." The other Victor stilled at her words.

Slowly turning around on the bed, Cato gazed at Shade who was still seated on her knees. She saw something flash across his eyes. She couldn't put her finger on it.

"Shade..." He murmured before stretching his neck out and pressing his lips against her own. His large hand came up to pull her head down to him, cupping the back of her neck. Biting her lip again, Shade now understood what he wanted and carefully opened her mouth. Cato's tongue plunged into her mouth, his tongue messaging her own. Shifting their weight, Cato carefully pulled Shade down onto the soft comforter beside him. The blonde boy then crawled up onto the bed so that his body hovered over her own. Their lips were locked the entire time.

Shade was letting this happen.

Carefully lowering his weight onto her, Cato ran a hand down her side, eliciting a small moan from her. All these feelings were unknown to Shade. They were moving too fast right now. She was getting nervous.

His rough fingers also edged towards the hem of her night shirt. Cato was going to try for second base. Shade hadn't protested so far so he was going to go for it. With women, you had to take risks. Feeling his fingers beginning to move up her stomach under her shirt, Shade's eyes burst open and she pulled her lips away from his, retracting her tongue

"Cato, no!" She told him breathlessly. But it was all for not, his hands receded back down slightly but his lips slipped to her neck where they began their wonderful ministrations. "Stop..."

She weakly pushed against him, her hands then on his chest in a weak attempt to get him to stop. His lips continued to assault her neck and she moaned when he found a spot that seemed to set her entire body on fire. Her hands rubbed down his strong back and she could feel the muscles through his shirt. Cato was right, her hands did feel wonderful on his body. Another moan escaped her throat as he continued to assault the sensitive spot on her neck. Her body wanted this but her morals were sending up red flags. Her fingers were in his hair again and she pulled his ear closer to her mouth.

"Cato. Please, stop." She warned, feeling his lips still on her neck. She felt him sigh heavily against her neck, the saliva from his mouth making her skin damp so the small breath was cold. Slowly pulling back, Cato's eyes were dark with lust.

"Why?" He growled, his hands still slightly up under her shirt.

"Because..." She struggled with her words. He was pulling down the confident wall that she had built up. She was becoming normal Shade again. Shade that was nervous of being with a man. Her eyes were giving her away and Cato saw through her facade. "Because..."

"You've never done it before...?" He asked quietly, sitting back. He was straddling her hips, staring down at the woman below him. Shade could only swallow nervously before directing her eyes away from him. That was a yes. "I see..." He said, slowly sliding off of her and back onto the comforter.

"Cato..." She sat up, putting her hand on his arm. He looked over at her. "I want to but-"

"But what?"

"It's a... rule in District 12! You can't before you're married and if you do, you're labeled as a-"

"Whore?" He asked, anger coursing through him.

"Yeah."

"Well, District 12 doesn't exist anymore..." He replied bitterly and Shade flinched. He had just crossed a line again. Turning away from him, she felt the tears beginning to come back. The wound was still sore and it was bound to take a long time to heal.

Cato felt her shift on the bed and glanced back, seeing her facing away from him on the other side of the bed. He watched as her shoulders shook slightly and she sniffed, trying to keep herself quiet. Alright, now he felt like an ass. He had made her cry so many times already and they hadn't even known each other for a month.

"W-Why haven't you told me that you loved me back?" She asked quietly, her voice shaking. She had been waiting. She had said it all before Panem, just to save his sorry ass from Snow. She had thrown her feelings out in the open, laying them before her just so that Cato could walk all over them.

Cato had been caught off guard by her question. However, he had a answer for her.

"You know how you have that rule in 12?" He watched as Shade slowly nodded. "Well, we have a different rule in 2..."

Slowly, he crawled over the side of the bed so that he could look into her eyes. He wanted her to know that this was an actual thing. Not just some stupid excuse that he used to keep from saying those three little words. Using his large hand, he turned her face to look at him.

"In 2, sex isn't frowned upon and is just seen as another part of being human. And people in 2 are very physical and concerned with the body. We learn all about it at the Academy. Remember, I told you about it?" He smiled slightly at her but she only nodded. "Well, we can only say those three words when we fully connect with someone on both a mental and physical level..." He explained and he saw understanding slowly cross her hazel eyes. She then looked away, completely embarrassed.

"So you've...?"

"Yeah."

"You mean, like, a lot?"

"Let's just say that I know what I'm doing..." He smiled slightly and he watched as her cheeks flushed under his smoldering gaze. They both fell into silence once again before Shade felt something nagging at her again. She let her eyes flash back up to his face and she took a deep breath.

"So, when I said that I... well, you know, loved you... I was basically-"

"You gave me the go ahead."

"Oh..." She replied quietly before slowly nodding. Now, it was completely awkward. What do you say after that?

Instead, she didn't have to speak. Cato simply leaned over before planting a soft kiss on her lips. He now understood her resolve about physical contact. It also explained the confusion when he was trying to get his tongue in her mouth. She just plain didn't know.

Pulling away, Cato then crawled up higher on the bed before dropping down to rest his head on the pillows. It was only a few seconds before he felt the bed move slightly and then Shade slowly lay down next to him. She wondered if he was angry with her now that he knew that she was a virgin.

As he looked over into her sparkling hazel eyes, he wondered something else. "Was I your first kiss?" He asked and saw her cheeks flush red for a moment before she hid her face in the pillow. "I was, wasn't I?!"

Cato was also proud of this discovery. He was her first kiss and hopefully her first _everything_.

"Well, technically speaking..." Her voice was muffled by the pillow but he could still hear her. "Finnick was my first kiss!" Cato deadpanned and simply glared over at Shade. She couldn't see the glare. Of course it would be Odair. Shade lifted her head from the pillow. "But that was only because he needed CPR!" She defended herself.

"Lucky bastard." Cato murmured, a smile playing on his lips as he moved a hand behind his head.

"But..." Shade crawled over to him. "You technically were my real first kiss..." Cato beamed and held his arm out. Crawling over to him, she laid against his side, her cheek resting on his chest. Her hand cam to rest on her own stomach and he draped his arm around her shoulders. They were once again silent, their conversation about sex still playing through both of their heads. Shade found that it wasn't hard to believe that Cato was, well, a man-whore. It almost seemed to fit his personality. And then she realized how different they were. The innocent virgin and the lustful womanizer. She about laughed out loud at that thought.

As they lay together in his bed, there was the sudden noise of the elevator opening into the apartment. And then there was silence.

Shade turned her head and looked up at Cato whose own brows were furrowed in confusion. Neither of them said a word and Shade only scooted closer to Cato. He made her feel safe and she didn't like how silent it was. The only noise in their home seemed to be their breathing.

Just as they thought nothing of the sound, a colorful man burst into the room, screaming a greeting. Both Shade and Cato jumped, the male Victor pulling her closer to his side. Shade about shit her pants.

"Cato, dear! It's wonderful to see you again!"

"WHAT THE FUCK, STERLING?!" Cato yelled, gripping tightly to Shade. The blonde female was clutching tightly to Cato as well but her hazel eyes were wide as he took in the brightly colored Capitol man. "YOU COULDN'T KNOCK LIKE A NORMAL PERSON?!"

"I thought by now that you would know that I'm not a normal person!" He came into the room and spotted Cato's clothing that was laid out on the couch. He was soon followed by three other people, all just as brightly dressed as the first man. Letting out a noise of distaste, the man, Sterling, picked up the clothes and examined them. "THIS IS WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO WEAR TO THE CROWNING!?" He yelled at Cato. Shade flinched again at how much they yelled. She wondered if this war normal.

"Why are you guys yelling?" Shade said loud enough for both Cato and Sterling to hear. The colorful man stopped suddenly and looked over at her. It was like he saw her for the first time. He raised his delicate eyebrows as is eyes trailed over her as she clutched tightly to Cato. He dropped the shirt.

"So... This is the lovely Shade!" He darted over to the bedside before basically pulling her away from Cato's warm body. "It's so wonderful to meet you!" He enthusiastically shook her hand and she couldn't help but pull a tight, terrified smile.

"It's nice to meet you, too!" He continued to shake her hand and his eyes never left his face. She felt like she was being studied. She didn't like it.

"Yes, well it's reassuring to know that you are still sort of pretty without any make up on..." He let go of her hand before returning to the other three people who arrived with him. He began muttering things and gesturing wildly. Shade was still a bit put out with his comment and she frowned slightly before looking back to Cato. He only shrugged his shoulders, a small smile on his lips.

"Uh... Who exactly are you?" She asked finally, feeling a bit of annoyance bubble into her persona. The man stopped speaking and his head snapped over to her confused form.

"I'll have you know that I am the stylist for District 2!" He put a hand to his chest and pointed his nose up in the air. Shade only raised her eyebrows in both amusement and in a challenge.

"Cool..." She murmured as she turned away to look back at Cato. He could only frown, showing annoyance towards the man himself. He was a bit over the top but Cato had had the same stylist for two years so he was pretty used to his shit.

"And what, my dear girl, did you choose to wear?" Sterling asked, not even looking back at her. Shade froze in her place for a moment. Besides being in her room to get clothes, she hadn't even spent time in there. She only swallowed nervously before shrugging.

"THAT IS ALL YOU DO!? YOU SHRUG?! CATO!" The blonde male looked up from where he had been watching Shade. "I'M DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" Turning to him with terrified eyes, Shade could only look at Cato. His own mouth opened and closed a few times before he pressed his lips together before shaking his head.

"I am, too!" He replied and Shade felt uncomfortable flutters in her stomach. Cato hadn't _not_ called her his girlfriend. She smiled at that thought.

"ALRIGHT!" The colorful man stepped forward and grasped her wrist, hauling her off the bed in the process. "YOU ARE COMING WITH ME!" He towed her through their joint bathroom until they reached her own room. "Bliss, Ebony!" He called to the two women who apparently belonged to his prep team. They snapped to attention. Both were dressed exactly the same which set them apart from the male of the group. Shade guessed they were twins. "Help me with this one! She's a mess!"

They both entered her room along with Sterling but the stylist turned back to yell through the door, "Roxen, help Cato get ready and I will be in shortly!" He slammed the door shut, causing Shade to flinch. Without warning, the two women began tugging her clothes off and Shade let a little noise of protest escape her throat. The twins just looked at her before going back to undressing her.

Sterling had disappeared into her closet and Shade could hear clothing being rustling around inside. Shade was now stark naked and she awkwardly stood in the center of the room. The twins had left to go find a chair so they could start in on her make up and hair.

"Underclothes." Sterling called and when Shade turned to look at him, the aforementioned articles of clothing hit her in the face. "Put them on." Shade quietly obeyed, putting the strapless bra on and sliding the nude colored underwear over her bottom.

At least she had _some_ clothes on now.

The twins came back into the room with the chair, forcing Shade to sit down in it. She simply glared at them. They at least could have asked. One of them was stationed behind her and began pulling on her hair while the other opened up a bag they brought with, getting out many different kinds of make up and some other weird machine contraption.

Running a brush through her hair, the one behind her began to run the weird machine through her golden strands and she soon learned that it was hot.

"OW!" She screamed when the metal happened to touch a part of her skin. Leaping out of the chair, she stared wide eyed at the twin who had burned her. "WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"It's only a straightener..." Snapping the machine's two tong-like appendages together, Shade narrowed her eyes and felt the burnt skin behind her hair. It wasn't all that serious but it had still hurt like hell.

"SHADE?!" There was the rustling of clothing before Cato burst into the room, his pants hanging loose around his hips due to the fact that they were unbuttoned. He also didn't have a shirt on and his blue eyes were wild with concern. Shade couldn't help but ogle his chest again. Even though she had seen it in the arena, it still made her eyebrow twitch up slightly in interest. However as he came into the room, he was confused upon seeing her standing there, almost hissing at Bliss. "What happened?" His eyes scanned the room and found that Shade was dressed in nothing but a bra and underwear.

Seeing him looking her up and down, Shade's cheeks filled with blood and she immediately covered herself with her hands.

"Your girlfriend is a big baby..." Sterling walked from the closet, holding an orange dress in his hands. Wrinkling his nose up at it, he tossed it aside before moving back through the door in search of another dress.

"Oh, I'm sorry that you've weaponized hot metal and decided to use it on me! Go right ahead, I've only been burnt plenty of times!" She pointed to her shoulder where her shoulder had been burnt but she had no scar to prove her point.

Roxen then walked into the room, a deadpanned look upon his face.

"Don't worry about the straightener, sweetie. Bliss will just have to be more careful..." He sent a pointed look at the twin standing behind the chair. She only rolled her eyes and snapped the hot tongs together in frustration before muttering a 'Whatever...'.

"Sit down. We still have a lot of work to do!" Sterling called from inside the closet and Shade could only sigh through her nose before slinking back to the chair, her hands still covering her body. Using her foot, she gestured for Cato to leave. With a smirk and the raise of one of his eyebrows, he turned and left with Roxen in his wake.

Bliss went back to work on running the hot tongs through her hair and Shade was relieved when she didn't get burnt again. Ebony also went to work on preparing her make up by starting with a bit of foundation, getting rid of any small blemishes on her face. Also darkening her eyes with some black eyeliner and mascara, what Ebony called them, Bliss quickly finished with her hair. Leaving it free of waves and any other little crinkles, Shade stared in awe in front of the mirror. Running her hands through the perfectly straight hair, Shade couldn't believe that the evil hot tongs had done this.

"Close your eyes." Sterling ordered her in his strong Capitol accent. Standing still, Shade followed his command and let her eyes slide closed. "Arms up." Raising her hands up, she soon felt fabric being pulled over her head before it came to settle around her hips and breasts. Feeling the fabric pull together, she realized that he had the zipper pulled up but he had not yet given her the okay to look.

"Alright, darling. Open." Shade wasn't sure if she really wanted to look and peeking one eye open, she couldn't help but let her mouth fall open in awe. l

A beautiful shimmering dress clung to her chest due to the lack of straps. It seemed to be completely covered in small glittering gems. At the top, it was a rich blue before it shifted and trickled down into cold, starting about at her knee. There was also a high cut in the side, revealing her long and slender leg. To Shade, it looked like rain falling down onto a golden field of prairie grass. But then as she thought more about it, it more or less symbolized Cato as a whole.

The blue eyes and golden hair.

Ebony also approached and in her hands, she held the golden wolf pendant choker. Tying it carefully around Shade's neck, the young girl looked back into the mirror and didn't see a monster any longer. She only saw a strong young woman who didn't take shit from anyone.

And that was who she would be.

"I don't think you did a half horrible job, Sterling..." Her head slowly turned to the side to see Cato leaning in the doorway of her bedroom. He was dressed in a black tux with a blue vest underneath that directly matched her dress. A blue bow tie was tied around his neck and he had that signature smirk on his face.

Shade just wrinkled her nose at him in a mocking manner before she looked back to the mirror, running her hands through her hair again.

"Shoes." Sterling warned before setting down a pair of blue flats and she stepped into them. Shade smiled at him, thankful that she didn't have to deal with heels again. She could at least walk like a normal person now.

Cato extended his arm out to her and she picked up her dress slightly before moving to his side. He tucked her under into the crook of his armpit so that his arm rested across her shoulders.

"Again, thank you, Sterling..." The male Victor said before nodding his head and moving to the elevator in the apartment. Hitting the button on the wall, the two of them stood together when the doors suddenly opened, revealing four Peacekeepers. Two per Victor.

Exchanging a look, both of them stepped inside before the doors slide closed behind them. But now, Shade wondered something. Where was her prep team and why were they using Cato's?

* * *

As they stepped out into the blinding light that shown down upon them, Shade's eyes burned but she could not pay attention to that. No, the roar of the crowd was deafening. Smiling slightly, Shade walked hand in hand with Cato who was waving to all the people watching. Her hazel eyes flashed over to him momentarily before she focused ahead on the two thrones that sat behind a podium.

Slowly lowering herself onto the golden throne, the President emerged himself a few minutes later and the Capitol people cheered again. Shade could only scoff internally. They think he's such a _great_ President when, in reality, he was far from it.

Two boys dressed completely in white and gold also came behind the white haired man, two crowns balanced on the pillows in their hands.

However, upon Snow's arrival, he smiled a little in her direction and she felt her blood run cold. For some reason, he was the one so confident. Had he known about her breakdown in the apartment? But then as she thought about it more, she realized that he didn't _need_ to know about her later breakdown. He could already see that she had crumbled on the inside.

President Snow gave a short speech about why the Hunger Games were held and how grand it was to have two Victors again this year. It was all a lie. Even from her place behind him, Shade could tell that Snow was angry with having two Victors. And then, it was time to be crowned.

For some odd reason, Snow approached Cato first this year, the female Victor always being the first in _everything_. But Shade guessed that it was time for something new. Standing up, Snow placed the golden crown on Cato's head, the boy having to bend down slightly and a large grin pulled at his lips. He was loving the attention right now. This had always been his dream and he was living it now. He had made himself, his family, and his District proud. He had done what they had taught him. He had done what they had bred him to do.

Looking over at Shade, he grinned and winked over at her before he looked back to the President. Snow murmured a few words to the taller boy, words that Shade couldn't hear. Yet, she watched as Cato's jaw clenched momentarily, fear flashing in his eyes. Risking a glance over at Shade, she saw Cato nod briskly before Snow smiled slightly and shook his hand before he returned to the second boy to pick up the second grown.

Turning back to face Shade, another small smile pulled at his lips and she felt the need to vomit. The smell of roses was unbearable. Instead of showing her discomfort, Shade raised her chin in defiance and narrowed her hazel eyes at the President.

"Congratulations, Miss Matson. Like I said before, you will make a wonderful Victor..." He placed the crown upon hear head and the Capitol people cheered wildly again. Her eyes never left his. "Come now, you must at least smile for your _subjects_?" He prodded slightly while narrowing his eyes. He was silently threatening her. She had to keep up the image that she was supposed to be portraying. Giving in, Shade smiled widely for the citizens of Panem just to satisfy him.

Smiling triumphantly, Snow was about to turn away from her when he felt he needed to pluck another cord, just to get her heart racing and to make the fear more... permanent.

"Long live the Queen..." He murmured and Shade couldn't help that her eyes widened slightly. Fear enveloped her and she swallowed thickly. Snow was reminding her of what she had become and of what he could do to her should she misbehave.

Shade would never be able to get out of this. She was forever going to be a Victor for as long as she lived. And Snow sure as hell wouldn't make it easy for her.

Stepping between the two Victors, Snow took a hold of their wrists and raised their hands into the air, the crowd going wild in the process. They had their champions. They were now forever inducted into the hall of Victors. However, the Victors each held a different emotion on their faces.

One was beaming like a man who had just cheated death. The other wore a look of pure fear. For she had already cheated death and she wondered if she dared to do it again.

* * *

**Another chapter has gone and passed. Well, now we understand parts of why Shade was at first resilient to even be with Cato. Plus, Cato's a man-whore. **

**Lol. **

**But, anyway, I got a view reviews last chapter and I was very excited! I'm glad to see people are still reading it and liking it!**

**But I got a few reviews from the very beginning of my story that were a bit of a buzz kill. I mean, they were nice and long but they weren't really nice. Apparently, when I innocently was poking fun at Twilight, I apparently pissed someone off. **

**My bad. But, it's my opinion on who I consider and who I don't consider to be a great writer. May I also list the completely wonderful J.R.R. Tolkien? The magnificent C.S. Lewis? Both of these men were wonderful writers yet their stories were completely bazaar and just as odd as the Hunger Games are, if even odder. **

**So Suzanne Collins doesn't count? **

**People honestly _love_ the Hunger Games. Sure, my character might be Sue-ish but if you haven't taken into account that the people who read my story actually LIKE Shade. **

**So you can just keep your own damn opinion to yourself and go sit back in your corner, reading your little Twilight books and continue flaming FanFiction stories. People don't come on here because they want assholes like you putting their story down.**

**They come here to interact with other writers. They didn't like how the original story ended? Then let them write their own version of it. Leave those people alone. **

**Oh, and P.S.**

**If you wouldn't have stopped on Chapter 3, you would have found that Shade doesn't give a _shit_ about blood or gore. Because she _is_ in fact, a butcher's daughter. She is a little brutal if you would have continued reading. She cuts someone's fucking hand off in the final battle for fuck's sake! Not to mention she brutally murderers _five_ other people without even worrying about blood. **

**Plus, I never mentioned that Shade and Katniss were BFFs. When they were twelve, they happened to be standing next to each other at the Reaping and they held hands to comfort each other. **

**Also, her and Cato aren't best friends. When it was the final showdown in the 74th Games, Shade felt compassion for him because she realized that he was human just like everyone else. He knew fear like she did. He was just doing what he was trained to do. He wanted to survive just like any other Tribute.**

**And her name. It's the HUNGER GAMES. People named their children weird shit. **

**Examples: Peeta, Glimmer, Thresh, Marvel, Cato?**

**Come on. Shade is pretty normal and who gives a shit if it's a boys name. It's. The. Hunger. Games.**

**So you can just quit your pointless bitching on my story, thank you very much!**

**Urgh.**

**Anyway, sorry for the mini temper tantrum. I thought it was very necessary though and I also apologize for my language. **

**On a lighter note, thanks to all who reviewed and favorited my story! You guys mean the world to me! **

**Just drop another review and tell me how you liked this chapter! Things get very interesting next chapter!**

**Love,**

**Blue**


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